Christchurch – Apr 13
Today the van was going back. So a bit of cleaning and repacking our belongings. Left all our excess food and beer in the kitchen. It soon disappeared. Next, we went to the dump station and cleaned out the sink tank and then left for Tui Campers out near the airport. Handed over the van which was inspected. Used Google Maps to call an Uber cab which was with us in 3 minutes and headed off to the Towers in the Park hotel. Obviously as was early we just dumped the bags before walking across Hagley Park to what we assumed would be the main city centre. Despite it being Friday, the city was a ghost town. Hardly anyone around.
We visited the old cathedral and the cardboard cathedral. At the old cathedral there was a man singing. He was still there in the afternoon and was there the next day. Talking with my bro later, it appears he is a permanent feature. Cathedral Square had a food market running which is there every Friday.
We admired the new car parks and the new buildings which had gone up. There though were large blocks which were empty, and unsafe buildings boarded up.
Lunch was at Original Sin, on the Oxford Terrace overlooking the Avon River. There are a series of new buildings along this stretch which are all restaurants and bars. New ones were still being fitted out on the ground level.
Afterwards we walked around a bit more and then visited the Canterbury Museum to look at the stuffed birds. A cup of coffee in the restaurant where we bought a couple of sandwiches after they had been removed from the cabinets at closing time. This was to be our supper back at the hotel.
Long walk back to hotel across the park and through the rose garden. Did spot an interesting moving statue at a water fountain.
The hotel room was large, with a kitchenette and electric blankets on the bed. Despite being out opposite the park, the city still sounded noisy at night.