PACIFLY

  
If one of you sees this picture, please send me your work, thank you!

I’ve been thinking about how to present my two-day stay in Christchurch (CHCH) for a while. For some unknown reason, I found it hard to write down the first paragraph (well the saying goes, ‘all things are difficult before they are easy’) I have got all the events (though not a lot) during the journey in my head, but just can’t put them right. Earlier this evening, I was walking in the park and it seemed to happen all of a sudden---five smiley New Zealanders came into my head. They represented my very first unforgettable encounter with the locals.

They came up to me when I was sitting on a bench in Botanic Gardens next to temporarily closed Canterbury Museum. Frankly, I didn’t do any research in advance so I accepted the fact that I ended up wandering around, looking for somewhere (free and intact) to rest. At that time, I saw the Museum on the map. According to my newest version of Lonely Planet, the Museum still opened to public. Therefore, you can imagine how depressed I was when I walked for nearly twenty minutes in the rain (drizzle with proper rain at intervals, very English style!) from one far end of the map to the other and found out it was closed for further technical evaluation! I stood at the front door of Botanic Gardens, not fancying having a look though it seemed that was the only option, at least I could find shelter if I was lucky.

  
Canterbury Museum. Many tourists went here and found out it's closed. (Sadly, I was one of them)

It was very quiet in the Gardens due to the huge decrease of tourists in CHCH. I first sat under a big tree and had some really nice chocolate biscuits (such a shame I didn’t bring any back to Taiwan!). When the rain stopped, I walked around the lively Gardens. Late autumn spread like silent wild fire, lighting up the leaves and laying colorful carpets on the ground. I followed the riverside trail back, seeing many water ducks along Avon River. I sat on a bench, not really thinking of anything. A very peaceful and tranquil atmosphere was around me. A cool breeze and swimming ducks rippled the River, leaving irregular waves on the reflection of images. Then I saw tourists kayaking and punting down the flow. Their laughter lingered in the air.

  
Purplish flowers(?)

 
Fiery red maple leaves

Dahlia  

 
Yellowish patches all around

 
A metal piece of work 

 
The one in green kayak lost control and went toward the brushwood. (And I was laughing quietly.)

 
Meanwhile, his partner row smoothly. (So nothing to joke about)

  
Unknown white-headed duck. I wondered if the others were sleeping.

I wasn’t sure someone was talking to me until his face showed up. It took me a while to understand his words (not used to New Zealand accent I guess) – they were practicing photography skills and asked me to be their model. I responded in surprise, ‘Me? Like this?’ I looked like hell after the rain. He said, ‘Yes, just like this. It doesn’t matter how you look really.’ Since it wasn’t for Vogue or Playboy, I agreed to pose for them.

I wonder if there are any books like ‘How to Pose for Dummies’ but it was too late to read it anyway. The sun first came out at that time and they asked me to stand toward a specific direction. Though feeling awkward, I did as I was told and then the sound of five camera shutters went on and off for a few seconds (but it felt like ages for me) with one reflector directing sunlight on my face. They showed me their work right away and promised to send me a copy. I left them my email address but the truth is I haven’t got those pictures even now! And seriously, that doesn’t surprise me at all! (I mean people don’t normally pay attention to this sort of thing. Needless to say that I wrote it down on a piece of paper that was torn off from a notebook) 

By the way, before we were about to part, I took a picture of them. One of them said ‘Tomato’ in response to ‘Cheese’ which I said before pressing shutter button. That makes me wonder if ‘Cheese’ is out of date......(Oh No!)

I really like all the New Zealanders I met during the two-day stay, from patient immigration officers to helpful bus drivers. Their friendly and optimistic natures impressed me immensely. I didn’t get the chance to know how they see their lives in light of the massive recovery works during post-earthquake days; however, despite broken and fragile, I still saw a slow-paced, plain and peaceful living style, which explained why I chose NZ.

RE:START, the first CHCH inner city retail offering, post the Feburary earthquake
 
It was only half past three in the afternoon but felt like late in the night. A guy was playing a guitar.

 
 
Retailers house in brightly colored shipping containers.

 
Ongoing construction works were behind RE:START.

Tram service was not available.

  
UC quake box. It got my attention. 
See more information on http://www.ceismic.org.nz/news/uc-quakebox-deployed-at-restart-mall

  
The sun finally came out. A huge crane was on the other side of RE:START.

The short visit to the Gardens was really nice. Although at first I was forced into the visit, somehow it kept me away from the broken city center. I arrived in CHCH a day before, and on my way from the Central Bus Station to the hostel, I realized there wasn't a way to get there via the Central Business District (CBD). However, before I figured it out, I walked around outside the blocked streets and the restricted reconstruction area. It has been more than fourteen months since the most devastating aftershock struck this city in 2011, claiming 181 lives and leaving arduous challenges for the future. I am familiar with earthquakes but I believe no one would ever get used to such catastrophes and massive rebuilding works.

Blocked Areas:
 

Works to be done:

The future of the Cathedral is unknown. 

As roads to CBD were closed, I took a detour to the outskirt area where the Avon River gently flows through. The water remains clear, transparent and quiet as it was and now it slowly takes the sorrows away and pours new energy back into CHCH.

 
Avon River right outside CBD, making a huge contrast to city center.

  
Seriously, I was surprised to see a river, which runs through big city, remains clean and transparent.

It is a shame that I will never see CHCH as it was. A tourist suddenly talked to me when I was taking pictures of the debris of buildings. He expected to see more recovery of CHCH, unlike this, as if only few things have been done. I agreed with him but as an outsider, we would never experience what the locals have been through. The future of the iconic Christchurch Cathedral remains unclear (to rebuild or to demolish) and it shows that debates and obstacles are still in the way. It is still hard to predict where CHCH is heading to but I think the saying ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ could best describe this garden city.

As I did not know anywhere else I could visit, I arrived at the airport six hours early, which means I spent one day to get there and ended my city sightseeing within 24 hours. To be honest, I only relied on the newest version of CHCH guide from Lonely Planet website and fully focused on city center. The truth is I didn’t realize how bad it was in central CHCH and without proper research in advance, my mobility was restricted. (As a control freak and budget traveler, it’s hard to move before information is handy, Ha-Ha!)

CHCH City Council

  
Feed myself a cup of hot chocolate and chicken savoury.

As the flight steadily headed north, I was struggling to fall asleep. I went to the toilet once, seeing most of the passengers resting with various positions in the dark. I watched them for a while, wondering about their destinations. It seemed everybody had got somewhere to go to but I’ll never know. However, I do know l will come back to New Zealand in September to embrace its spring.

 
Antarctic Center, the fisrt thing I saw after I walked out the airport.

 
Penguin Express. Angie and Gueiju will love it!

  
The journey began and ended here. I got on and off bus 29 operating betweeb city center and the airport.

A guy from Tonga talked to me while we were waiting for the bus. Despite he had a very strong accent, we still had a nice chat. He worked in NZ for years and just arrived in CHCH from Auckland. I am about to book a flight to Aukland in September since low cost airline no longer operates the route to CHCH. I NEVER EVER planed to visit North Island and perhaps that's my destiny. However, I remember he said how lovely Auckland is and now I look forward to every unexpected events in New Zealand.