Three days in Christchurch

Arriving in Christchurch with an open mind I am met with a train station well out from the centre of town and with no public transport nearby - I am directed to a bus stop… But no buses come!! So I walk more than 2km after receiving directions from members of the public (thank you) to Riccarton Mall where I should be able to get a bus to my final destination with family… Suffice to say that the buses where confusing and led to me standing at the stop for more than 2 hours before giving up and getting a taxi!! However, I am glad that I did as the taxi was a ‘Green-Cab’ (an eco-friendly hybrid car) with a very knowledgeable driver who was a pleasure to chat to on route.
Meeting up with family was wonderful after several more months on the road. Michael, Tracey, Sam, Jo and Lucy all made me feel welcomed and I felt at home almost instantly. Thank you :)
Surrounding the house are paddocks which often have horses and deer inside as well as a large number of hawks, a wonderful site.
Day one in Christchurch Michael introduces me to Canterbury roads and I find that their sweeping corners around steep ascends/descents are something that Jeremy Clarkson and co. should certainly be checking out for the next series of Top Gear ;) In my humble opinion the roads would be an ideal location for testing out the new Lotus cars or similar models… Every turn of the road reveals another eye-pleasing landscape until we arrive at Akoura, a small coastal town with quiet cafés and novelty shops hugging a small harbour, where trips can be taken to view local wildlife. We all opt for coffee/tea before getting onto the task for the day. I have volunteered to aid in the transportation of furniture with the aid of RAV and trailer… soon I am taking apart beds, hefting mattresses and helping to organise and load a trailer with the use of straps and rope - I guess something I learnt from my dad years ago must have stuck because the end result was a well packed and securely fastened load. Stacked on their ends the mattresses acted a little like a sail (windy day!) but they survived the trip (as did we all!) :)