Christchurch

Maori singers
see all photos »

So once again I have arrived somewhere and I am in an indecisive frame of mind. The journey from Wellington to Picton via ferry was a bit rocky so I took some dramamine which knocked me out! Then I transferred to a bus to get to Christchurch so I had some time to think about what I wanted to do, it was a long day of traveling! Ideally I would like to drive but the cost of renting a car is too much for me to handle on my own with my current budget, plus I wouldn't want to be on the road by myself. Well, as luck would have it, that very night I meet Linda, a Dutch woman who has also just arrived and she is wanting to rent a car as well, plus she's on a similar time schedule. What luck! The next day the information center finds us a car that we can pick up on Monday to start our journey of the south island! How exciting!

After finishing the details we head off to see the arts fair that takes place on the weekend and then we check out the botanic gardens and the art museum using the free bikes that the hostel provides - very convenient except that they don't work all that great. Call me a bike snob but I am very particular about my bikes!

I also saw a free Maori concert in the main square, my first cultural experience in New Zealand. The facial tattoos are a bit intimidating but they all sang really beautifully.

Our car ends up being a backpacker's special, an older toyota camry 2-door hatchback called Windy. Windy happens to be the same model car as my first car so I am at leat familiar with the controls except for the fact that the steering wheel is on the other side! Both Linda and I are in the same boat when it comes to driving on the other side of the road. I am excited to start out and I take the first leg of the trip on our way to Kaikoura. I find that it isn't as scary as I thought it would be, thank goodness!!