February 13-15, 2001 - Christchurch
We left Dunedin early and headed to Christchurch. Nothing really interesting happened on the way and we got in around mid-afternoon - 3:30ish. We checked into the Excelsior hostel and unpacked our stuff in a 8-room. Patrik joined some of our old Magic Bus friends for a drink at the local Irish bar while I cruised around town. Patrik made a vow back in Queenstown that he wouldn't drink anymore but I guess that idea went out of the window.
While in the Internet room, I met a guy from Switzerland named Robbie and we talked for a little while before I had a revelation of how to surf for free. I unplugged the power from the other computer and plugged it into his monitor and it worked.
Little did I realize that the computer I unplugged is the main and only dial-in computer. After about an hour or so of email typing, he tried sending it but it didn't work. He pretty much lost everything he typed because of me. I felt so bad about it but he said not to worry with a smile, and headed to bed.
I eventually figured out that I could get the free surfing with the main computer. Patrick stopped by and said good-bye because he's heading up north in the morning that was the last time I saw him in New Zealand.
Next morning, I got an email from Folkert, the Dutch guy I met back in the Cook Islands so I went to the YHA to look for him but he hasn't checked it yet. I walked by the Avon River and enjoyed the quiet tranquil scene for a little bit.
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| Lovely Avon River in Christchurch, New Zealand |
The day was actually hot - I later found out that they recorded temperature was 34 degrees C, which I find a little hard to believe. I walked toward the Arts Centre after that but find it to be vastly too commercialized, much like the rest of New Zealand. After that, we headed toward the Botanical Garden, which was much larger than I thought.
The Botanical Garden in Christchurch is worth a visit. Numerous fragrant flowers, bushes, and huge towering trees populated the garden. The Avon River meandered lazily through the garden and people in punts and boats drifted slowly down the stream.
I stayed there for a while, almost falling asleep on one of the numerous benches in the park and waking up later to walk around more. Eventually, I got tired and started heading toward the hostel. I went to the YHA again to look for Folkert and met up with him finally. We went to dinner at a Cambodian restaurant and it turned out to be pretty good.
I went back to the hostel and bumped into Robbie who invited me to go downstairs to have a drink. I bought Robbie a drink because I still felt pretty bad about the email incident but he assured me that it was OK. Robbie is a schoolteacher who teaches primary school but he gets a lot of time off. We chatted for a while before heading to bed.
Next morning, I headed to the YHA to meet up with Folkert to go to a town called Lyttleton. We got on a bus that cost only $2 roundtrip and it took us through a scenic countryside and through a long tunnel.
By the time we emerged on the other side, the ugly town of Lyttleton loomed ahead of us. It had a large ugly rusty harbour with large ugly rusty ships and cranes and other "ship dock stuff". We got off the bus and walked around and look for something to eat, eventually decided on eating at an Irish pub with a view of the ugly harbour. We didn't want to do anything after that so we caught the next bus back to town.
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| Folkert, Liron, and Robbie at Christchurch, New Zealand |
I went back to the hostel for a rest before heading to the YHA again with Robbie and Joseph to meet up with Folkert. We bumped into Liron, the Israeli I met back on the North Island and we all went out for dinner and a drink. I found out that Robbie is a singer in a rock group that he's been playing with since he was 16. It was hard to imagine him in a rock group because he looked and acted a little tame. We called it a night after about 12. I didn't even remember it was Valentine's Day.
(I think I lost most of my pictures while in Christchurch for some reason - oh well.)
;)
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