New Zealand #15: Christchurch
Mood: 
|| Stressed
Tune : Watching Flight of the Conchords
(kinda rushing this update as I am leaving tomorrow for the US and still have a lot to do, so it won't be very detailed....)
July 17: Today was going to be my last proper day in New Zealand (time flew by so fast!) and my only one in Christchurch. When I went out in the morning it was dark outside and raining, not really an inviting day to a lot of touristy things... Luckily for me it cleared up fairly soon though. One of my first missions was finally going to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The cinema was not near the city centre but I eventually found it and secured my ticket for that night \o/
The touristy things I did in the city that day included seeing the Bridge of Remembrance, the Chalice (awesome statue, see pictures below), the Cathedral, Art Gallery and Arts Centre, the museum and finally the Botanic Gardens. Because it's school holidays right now they had this really neat exhibition (I guess that's what I should call it?) in the botanic gardens where they had fake plants covered in objects that symbolised their names. There was for instance a branch covered in marshmallows, which was supposed to be a marshmallow tree. I thought that was pretty neat.
In the evening I went to see Harry Potter and I thought it was just ok. The last few books are not my favourites so it's to be expected the movies are not either (too dark/bleak for me, I like all the fun happy magical stuff). Still cried at you-know-what-though 'specially when all the little lights went up, that was awesomely done.
Christchurch has lots of cute old trams
A Doctor of Time and Space
Bridge of Remembrance
The Chalice
Inside the Cathedral
This car is so awesome xD
The Art Gallery
Cool statue at the Institute of Dyslexia, the letters from the book went all the way around the garden (made by Richard Taylor from Weta!)
The Arts Centre
This made think of Night at the Museum xD
In the botanic gardens
Mouse trap plant
Marshmallow tree
July 18: Today was my flight back to Sydney. Because of the thick fog around Christchurch none of the planes could land and all the morning ones were delayed and/or cancelled. I was one of the "lucky" ones with only a 2.5 hour delay as my plane made a detour to Wellington for some more petrol and by the time it was done the fog had cleared away. Other than that the trip was pretty uneventful and I spent most of it gazing out of the window (at the amazing New Zealand snowcapped mountains as seen from above!) and sleeping...
At Sydney airport
July 19 - 21: I have been back in Sydney since, staying at Gen's and (mentally) preparing myself for the trip to the US. San Diego Comic Con stuff is all arranged and fine, still planning LA. And when I get back from the States I have a 15 hour wait at the airport before I leave for Tokyo (for 4 days) which I also have to arrange while in Sydney.
I went to the city yesterday to close my bank account, send stuff home etc. as well and it was weird wandering around there knowing it would be the last time in a likely very long time I'd be there :( I lived in Sydney for about 8 months so I know the place well and I really loved working/living there; I will miss it. I made sure to pick up some of the food I got to know and love there as well for lunch/snack, as I don't know when I'll have the opportunity again (I got a milk tea, Indian spiced Potato and a Chinese sausage bun, nom nom nom).
Alright, now I am off to book my accommodation for Tokyo, eee!
More pictures can be found HERE.
|| Stressed
Tune : Watching Flight of the Conchords
(kinda rushing this update as I am leaving tomorrow for the US and still have a lot to do, so it won't be very detailed....)
July 17: Today was going to be my last proper day in New Zealand (time flew by so fast!) and my only one in Christchurch. When I went out in the morning it was dark outside and raining, not really an inviting day to a lot of touristy things... Luckily for me it cleared up fairly soon though. One of my first missions was finally going to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The cinema was not near the city centre but I eventually found it and secured my ticket for that night \o/
The touristy things I did in the city that day included seeing the Bridge of Remembrance, the Chalice (awesome statue, see pictures below), the Cathedral, Art Gallery and Arts Centre, the museum and finally the Botanic Gardens. Because it's school holidays right now they had this really neat exhibition (I guess that's what I should call it?) in the botanic gardens where they had fake plants covered in objects that symbolised their names. There was for instance a branch covered in marshmallows, which was supposed to be a marshmallow tree. I thought that was pretty neat.
In the evening I went to see Harry Potter and I thought it was just ok. The last few books are not my favourites so it's to be expected the movies are not either (too dark/bleak for me, I like all the fun happy magical stuff). Still cried at you-know-what-though 'specially when all the little lights went up, that was awesomely done.
Christchurch has lots of cute old trams
A Doctor of Time and Space
Bridge of Remembrance
The Chalice
Inside the Cathedral
This car is so awesome xD
The Art Gallery
Cool statue at the Institute of Dyslexia, the letters from the book went all the way around the garden (made by Richard Taylor from Weta!)
The Arts Centre
This made think of Night at the Museum xD
In the botanic gardens
Mouse trap plant
Marshmallow tree
July 18: Today was my flight back to Sydney. Because of the thick fog around Christchurch none of the planes could land and all the morning ones were delayed and/or cancelled. I was one of the "lucky" ones with only a 2.5 hour delay as my plane made a detour to Wellington for some more petrol and by the time it was done the fog had cleared away. Other than that the trip was pretty uneventful and I spent most of it gazing out of the window (at the amazing New Zealand snowcapped mountains as seen from above!) and sleeping...
At Sydney airport
July 19 - 21: I have been back in Sydney since, staying at Gen's and (mentally) preparing myself for the trip to the US. San Diego Comic Con stuff is all arranged and fine, still planning LA. And when I get back from the States I have a 15 hour wait at the airport before I leave for Tokyo (for 4 days) which I also have to arrange while in Sydney.
I went to the city yesterday to close my bank account, send stuff home etc. as well and it was weird wandering around there knowing it would be the last time in a likely very long time I'd be there :( I lived in Sydney for about 8 months so I know the place well and I really loved working/living there; I will miss it. I made sure to pick up some of the food I got to know and love there as well for lunch/snack, as I don't know when I'll have the opportunity again (I got a milk tea, Indian spiced Potato and a Chinese sausage bun, nom nom nom).
Alright, now I am off to book my accommodation for Tokyo, eee!
More pictures can be found HERE.