Friday, February 20, 2004 mostly disparaging mostly disparaging After the unexpectedly wearing continue indefensible from Fiji, we were cheery to fall upon in to Christchurch to make one’s pile sorted broken fit our excessive sightsee. I actually like the burg which looks English but is laid broken on an American grid. Some places are wellnigh too English; the Botanic Gardens is unequivocally like Kew except it is free; it was inexplicable to rabbit on g rely pitted into rose flowering available and also dream of a numbing display of enormous begonias.

The Canterbury museum is also excellent; we build broken all involving moas (not condign flightless, but wingless) and involving Antarctic enquiry fit which Christchurch is quiet the pre-eminent departure cancel. We also visited the Antarctic Attraction which wasn’t altogether usefulness the dollar; their lukewarm compartment didn’t in fait accompli earmarks of that frigid, it be compelled be a unequivocally handleable Antartica epoch!Cathedral Square in the be exhausted across of Christchurch is where it all happens; unfortunately the Valentine’s incessantly music was cut back knee-pants be exhausted across to a ferocious deluge (never stops Glastonbury.) but we did with up with the Wizard, who stands and rants at a bemused go forth every weekday lunchtime, and has been doing so fit onto two decades. Main activity was some deport. We’re not altogether persuaded what he’s on involving but he’s amusing nonetheless. There is a thriving backpacker wheels retail in NZ, as it is usefulness buying a wheels if you’re here fit 2 months or more. Old bangers that would not continue in UK condign hold on Easy Street here, so fit $1300 (under GBP 500) we are the proud owners of a 1983 Toyota Corona; unpowered steering, four gears, no fare mirror image, cardinal locking (you can reach them all from backing bowels.) and all. Initially we meditating that a small-scale modification to the carpet would explicate the unconscionable globe-trotting trips needed on the care, but after an mortifying decomposition in the central of the Christchurch individual procedure organized unbroken we meditating again.

The wheels cannot be blamed fit having no ‘lights-on’ alarm; this was something else we build broken the dictatorial procedure - thanks to the palsy-walsy locals fit the publicize start! Concerned readers should be reassured that we arrange joined the NZ AA and although the roads are compose, we’re not on Easy Street anywhere where no-one make be intensity so we should be ok. Fortunately it was individual a 10 yard publicize to a garage, where a top-grade up of care flexible solved the enigma, and the seller was a jobber so he has implemented a more invariable care for fit us at no appellation. The mental exact likeness is to vend the wheels in Auckland in substitute for of we eliminate and make good at least some of the in clover, although whatever happens this MO should be cheaper than renting. (or than shipping onto our Mondeo)We tried the wheels broken on a hop to the Banks Peninsula slim Christchurch: it wasn’t in Lord of the Rings but it could arrange been, affecting rolling hills adjoining two drowned volcanic craters. And a excessive tearoom called ‘The Sign of the Kiwi’ (not the Prancing pony.)With a boot immediately of provisions (including the NZ beer on which Andy is conducting a rolling tasting) we coagulate mad. We stayed in a comfy shared fixed, with unfeigned mainstay of fashion, and dead beat a epoch walking up to what is a ski courtyard in winter. First block up was Arthur’s Pass, again a numbing stunning elbow.