Keith's Globe Trotting Blog: NZ BLOG 6 - CHRISTCHURCH ; AKAROA, GERALDINE and LAKES TEKOPO & PUKAKI

Excursion covering Christchurch and its environ, eventually returning south to Geraldine and then west into "The Lakes" - 3rd to 8th January 2023

Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki

Christchurch

Banks Peninsula

CHRISTCHURCH

In September 2010, the residents of Christchurch breathed a sigh of relief, in believing they had dodged the silver bullet that was an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1, with the epicentre west of the city. There was some damage to older buildings but no deaths. 😓However…

Roll on five months to February 2011, at peak lunchtime, this 6.3 magnitude earthquake much closer and shallower with an epicentre to the SE, caused widespread carnage, 185 deaths, and mass destruction across the city, including ongoing “liquefaction” across the eastern suburbs, where persistent regular tremors, caused liquid silt (pressure on fine grained sands) to ooze upwards and making residences inhabitable - apparently, the insurance companies made life even worse, as they would of course! 😭🤬🤬😭

Ten years on, and the estimated $50 billion reconstruct is still ongoing, although well advanced, but not complete, with open planning and low rise "earthquake proof" re-building, the residents are slowly starting to feel proud about their city, once again.🙌

And so they should, a very attractive city, very green and open….and the city centre is well planned along the river Avon. A very quiet city (although 4 days is hard to fully assess) and very English, as it always was (but apparently the most racist city in NZ!).

On my first full day, I walked from my digs in Linwood, directly to the nearby river Avon, and took the longer meandering route along the river trail eventually into the city centre.

Evidence was still apparent of “red no go zones” which had been landscaped, with driveways still visible, but I assume no build areas. I had a good chat with an older guy, who was more than forthcoming about his recollections on the day, in great detail and also his wife (he was a manager at the local international swimming pool, and his wife was in college as a teacher). He pointed out the new buildings, the surviving ones, and what used to be in the empty spaces…adjacent us.

A must visit was Quake City museum, which I found really interesting especially the recollections of some of the residents in the immediate aftermath, and how it impacted them, and then 10 years on, to how they feel today. Amazing actual footage too of when the earthquake struck, as people were innocently getting on with their normal daily lives. Very poignant too was the Wall of Remberance, with all the 185 names etched in the stone, quite anonymous except for two eulogies from their family, see the one below, so much more moving when it is made so personal 😢

Continuing my journey, slowly, taking in the environ, on a gorgeous Summer’s day, the centre is certainly a very chilled relaxing place…with punting on the river, and cafe society al fresco of course….where I found the rather cool C1 Espresso in the edgiest part of the centre surrounded by some really great street art. 🎨☕️

Shortly after, continuing my walk, I had a strange deja vu type experience….approaching where the Anglican Cathedral was still being reconstructed, I knew I’d been here before, but obviously under different circumstances? Yes, it was 1989, and we were listening to the famous Wizard making his customary daily oratory on the steps of the cathedral! (See the pinched photo, the steeple fell in the earthquake). 😳

The following day I combined a fairly decent bike ride, out of Christchurch initially into some amazing mountain climbs and scenery with equally dramatic coastlines, over to Lyttleton and back over another challenging climb to a surf resort called Sumner. 🚴‍♂️🤪 I returned here in the evening to the Beach Bar Restaurant for my dinner! And then later even squeezed in some nature ramblings on the Bexley Wetland, near to a not very impressive New Brighton, I may have caught it on a quiet day!

My host was a lady of Dutch descent, initially of robust character, but slowly chipping away, we ultimately had some great conversations - and she was always open to advise on places to visit.

AKAROA

Packing up after three nights I headed on the most of scenic routes over to nearby Banks Peninsula with the aim of visiting Akaroa. Set in the most eye watering of settings, surrounding by a rim of dramatic mountains with the azure blue waters in the middle….this was a volcanic crater….🌋

The first part of NZ initially occupied by the French (until the English arrived), with clear influences still visible, with street names and descendants of those pioneers still residing. 🇫🇷

A lovely place although for me, too touristy, lots of families on the beach….although it didn’t take much to walk around to the lighthouse, to find that solitude. Also on the advice of my previous host, I visited the “Giant’s House” - a cross between modern art based on porcelain and an horticultural accompaniment. It was really impressive!

Now, decision time?!

I decided that the four hour drive to Kaikoura further north, was too far, to possibly go on a whale lookout boat (which I wasn’t really fussed about; same with the small dolphin trips from Akaroa….don’t think I agree with them, scuba diving yes, chasing them in a boat, no!).

So decided to head back south, but via Geraldine…

GERALDINE

You can’t beat two nights in Geraldine, fnarr, fnarr! 😂

Well you can, it looked quite nice and lively when I passed through it a few days back, but now, in pouring rain, which continued into the following early afternoon, it didn’t reach my expectations - although I had a magnificent curry on that first night. In the morning, I managed to squeeze a local walk in, which actually was nice, with the main interest being a huge Kauri tree, and an important associated bat population, although I saw none. In the later afternoon, I took the CX bike on mainly gravel tracks around the Peel Forest area, but more of a fitness ticking the box exercise, the grim misty conditions didn’t help!

LAKES TEKAPO & PUKAKI / MT COOK / CLAY CLIFFS

I left Geraldine after watching the mighty Owls defeat, unbelievably, Newcastle in the FA Cup! Brunch at Fairlie, delaying as much as possible to await the forecasted improving weather. And it worked a treat, by the time I got to the Lakes the sky was blue and the sun was out and very warm. The Lakes looked unreal, a cobalt blue, with the backdrop of the snow covered Alps, and that is where I was going to next. ☀️😍

On my bike, I cycled due west, hugging the shores of Pukaki, heading directly for the mighty Mt Cook…at 12218ft the highest point on the islands, quite remarkable when you consider the small size of the islands. An advantage being so youthful geologically, the disadvantage of course is that the continued build is still ongoing, hence the earthquakes and seismic activity!

But I wasn’t considering that, as the views were simply mind blowing, defo in the top few of all time scenic rides….80km later I’m back at the car…and made a quick stop in Twizel, very minimalist and basic, I expected more of an “Ambleside” but apparently there simply isn’t the demand….visitor numbers are comparatively very small, and a high proportion are self sufficient in their campervans and tents etc

Moving on, I made a slight deviation to the geologically very interesting Clay Cliffs (opposite)….layers of silts, clays and conglomerates, again impacted by seismic movement creating some wonderful morphology. Apparently in the Spring, the place is immersed in carpets of lupins, I’ll have to come back!

Less than two hours later and I’m back with the family in Oamaru and reflected on a wonderful and varied number of days, giving me a true flavour to experience much more! 👍