New Zealand Travel Notes | First Arrival in Christchurch

I can’t remember the original intention of choosing to go to New Zealand.

Maybe I like a country with vast land and sparsely populated areas, where I can see mountains and rivers all the way. Or perhapsit is more affordable in terms of time and money compared to countries such as Iceland, Canada, and the United States.

I have always had a preference for self-driving tours, over mountains and ridges to see forests, lakes, cliffs, and beaches.

No matter what, some ideas come out of the blue and are as unstoppable as fate.

This trip is all in the South Island, and the route coverage is not comprehensive. If it would be a little clearer how to go, I think I have to go to the South Island alone three times.

     

If there is any unprecedented experience in this trip,

The first might be a long night at the airport.

This flight took off from Cairns, departed from Brisbane, and then entered in Christchurch.

It was around 2pm when we arrived in Brisbane. The departure time of the connecting flight is 8 o'clock the next day, and the check-in time is 6 o'clock. That means that in fact, I only have 4 hours of free time at most. Even if you take a taxi and find a hotel a few kilometers near the airport, you can get up and check out after a short sleep. I don’t think it’s wise either.

 

I can imagine that the ideal situation is that since the transfer point does not involve cross-border, if it does not involve switching airlines or changing planes, then I can wait directly in the departure hall inside the security check, so that I don’t have to take care of my luggage and luggage. The surrounding environment is relatively safe.

However, the actual situation is far from ideal - not only that the arrival hall and the international departure hall are not in the same terminal (or even very far away), but also because they are not operated by the same airline, so the luggage must be retrieved and then checked in again. Check-in time is at 6 a.m., which means that in the middle of the night, I have to carry two boxes of luggage, walk or take a taxi to another terminal (it is too late and there is no airport transportation), and then check-in Rest in the lobby until the check-in counter opens.

   

Fortunately, there were several taxis waiting for passengers outside the arrivals hall, and they spent 20 Australian dollars to take me to the International Hall. Fortunately, the facilities in the International Hall seem to be relatively complete.

There are not many people at the airport late at night. I was able to find a bright place with a sofa. There were also a few passengers with luggage around who were reading or just lying on the sofa to rest. There were also security guards not far away. I put my ID, wallet and other valuables in my carry-on bag, held it in my arms, wrapped my light down jacket around me, and kept my luggage slightly close to me. I won't be able to sleep well that night, I'll probably wake up if there is any movement.

After a few hours, I woke up one after another and made sure that all my belongings were still there before I could close my eyes and take a nap.

It was half past five in the hazy state, very cold.

After going to the bathroom to wash up and change clothes, I went to the self-service check-in counter to check in my luggage and print my registration card with a tired look on my face. When I went through the security check, my cat boy backpack was teased with kindness by the staff again.

“Is it your pet? hahah….”

Maybe it’s the cultural difference, but it’s not that funny.

"Yep, he said good morning for you."

After passing the security check, we had a heart-warming breakfast in the departure hall under the early morning sunshine.

Every time you stay up late or have a bad sleep, you can have a hot breakfast before catching up on your sleep. That way you will sleep particularly well when you get back to sleep.

The flight time is more than 3 hours, which is about the same as flying from Guangzhou to Beijing.

Perhaps it was the small anticipation of setting foot in the world of Middle-earth, but even though I was tired, I couldn't fall asleep. I read books and listened to songs all the way until I flew over the Tasman Strait and overlooked a continent that was completely different from where I took off.

When I took off from Brisbane, I saw row upon row of urban buildings, but before landing in Christchurch, all I saw was neat farmland. Through the thin clouds, we can see that the glacier water on the mountain has melted in early spring, forming scattered ice-blue stream belts, splitting the land.

New Zealand has very strict requirements on restricted entry items. When you get off the plane and walk to the immigration gate, there are warning signs all the way. The staff will always remind you not to bring meat products or honey, and please check your luggage. Thinking that the leftover sandwich from breakfast just now contained luncheon meat, I had no choice but to throw it away.

After passing customs, go through the car pick-up procedures at the Hertz counter in the arrivals hall, and walk out of the airport with your luggage.

The fresh air belonging to this land, the midday sunshine, and the cold temperatures that have just entered spring from the end of winter seem to welcome everyone who lands.

Turn on the portable WiFi, take a photo and send it to your family to report that you are safe.

Because New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, summer is opposite to that in the northern hemisphere. Daylight saving time is implemented from about the end of September or October to April every year. It is now 5 hours ahead of China.

Today is a holiday. At this moment, my parents probably haven’t gotten up yet.

What was arranged this time was the RAV4 model.

I recall that when I ordered a car online more than a month ago, the page said "Vehicles of the same grade will be randomly arranged according to the store." I paid at that time and left a message saying, "If possible, please try to arrange a Ford Escape for me." Generally speaking, if this requirement cannot be met, it will be ignored. The car rental operator also responded to me in a serious and timely manner to apologize, saying that this message could not be fulfilled and could only be arranged randomly.

I just left a message casually, and the other person was so cautious and serious that I could feel a sense of cuteness through the screen.

In the parking lot, I quickly found a silver-gray car with a cool air, located on the right rear side of a very beautiful red car of the same model. A little disappointed but that's okay. Since it has been arranged to accompany me on this journey, it is also a kind of fate.

Luggage is loaded into the trunk. Check the condition of the car. While the car is warming up, open the map and calibrate.

Put it in gear and hit the road.

Start visiting this God’s back garden.

Christchurch

Christchurch is located in the east-central part of the South Island. It is the third largest city in New Zealand and the largest city in the South Island . Most people’s South Island tour will start here or in Queenstown in the southwest. Unfortunately, a magnitude 6 earthquake occurred here in 2011, and urban reconstruction work is still in progress.

Walking out of the airport, you can actually feel the magnitude of the disaster and the enormity of the destruction.

Road repairs can be seen everywhere, steel frames are erected on the outside of buildings, and tree roots that used to be in the green belt are exposed. In addition, the local population density is low, the housing estates are sparse, and there are no high-rise buildings. The slight cold at the end of winter adds a cool tone to the city.

The prime minister at the time said, "This may be the darkest day in New Zealand's history."

       

Cathedral The Christchurch Cathedral

Driving to the vicinity of the cathedral, just like in the TV plot, you park your car and pay at the meter next to it. The receipt spit out from the machine must be placed on the windshield with the wiper pressed. Walk to Cathedral Square with your camera on your back.

Seeing what the church looks like now, I gasped a little.

It was supposed to be a century-old building that was an important symbol of the city. It was supposed to be a Gothic church full of elegance. It had experienced earthquakes several times, but it could not withstand this one, leaving a pile of ruins.

Moreover, the local government also found after evaluation that the building was old and modern materials could not meet the needs. Rebuilding would consume more money, so it was decided to demolish it.

It was destroyed in one day and disappeared from people's sight.

I feel a little sad.

Take a photo through the protective fence. Or the next time I come back, it will really be gone.

The square in front of the church Field, yes A leisure place for local residents. It is said that every weekend, there are all kinds of street artists performing small concerts or impromptu performances here. When I went to the square, some merchants were playing songs on their own speakers, which set off the leisure of the afternoon. Fast food trucks and handicraft stalls are all there, forming a miniature market. I bought a snack to fill my stomach, and the beautiful female boss told me that this place is even more lively during holidays.

There is also the iconic sculpture Millennium Cup on the square, which looks more like a giant torch with hollow patterns, waiting for the flame at the heart of the torch to burn. The giant chessboard array of black and red chess pieces is often watched by people, but rarely moved. I heard that each chess piece weighs a lot, and playing chess here is a brain-consuming and strenuous task.

Botanic Gardens Christchurch Botanic Gardens

This time I came to New Zealand in October, which is when the southern hemisphere enters spring. The previous itinerary was still a cold one, but it wasn’t until I entered the Christchurch Botanic Gardens that I felt that all the vitality of the New Year was beginning to sprout.

The park is located in the city center, not far from the Church Square. You can just walk along and take a look.

There are hundreds of parks in Christchurch, large and small, and this is one of the largest botanical gardens. According to the types and uses of different plants, there are several small theme areas divided here. For example, the plants in a certain area can be used for cooking or medicinal purposes, while in the area set up for roses, there are hundreds of different rose varieties, each Characteristic.

The layout here is not too deliberate, unlike Chinese garden design, with fewer pavilions and lofts. But the towering trees, the rich shade, and the elegant environment are all the same.

In addition to receiving human visitors, this is also a tourist spot for small birds and bees and butterflies. My eyes had caught a few cormorants, but I didn't think to aim the camera.

The division here is a bit interesting. Avon River (Avon River) has a U-shaped direction rotated 90° to the right, flowing through the entire Hagley Park. , Hagley Park) . The area divided by the river is the botanical garden. In fact, Hagley Park is much larger, and the Botanical Garden is only a part of it.

Exit the Botanical Garden and continue walking east, which is the direction of the parking lot at Mosque Square.

All the way back, there are independent residential duplex buildings with gardens on both sides. The family-style gardens are carefully created by the owners, and the meticulous gardening can be said to be a true reflection of life here.

At this time, the flowers and trees in various houses and courtyards feel the arrival of spring and cannot help but stretch out their hands to the passers-by. I really want to take a photo with them, but I don’t know where to stand. Think about it, it's better to squat down and take a shot with the camera upward.

Walk to Victoria Square and meet the Avon River again. Accompanied by the crisp chirping of birds, the clear river water flows. Clean roads, nostalgic trams in the city, people walking along the river embankment. Everything is far away from the hustle and bustle of the city and returns to freedom and tranquility.

When I looked up, I saw a five-fingered monster with a serious expression standing on the rooftop of the building, watching the people and cars coming and going in the city. The way he stands with one hand on his hip is really making people laugh.

We went to a local shopping mall for dinner. The name retrieved from the map was Northlands. I thought there was something wrong, so I opened another app to confirm. Later, when I saw it clearly, I realized it was land, not island. I still thought this was South Island. It should be South Island no matter what.

I had a simple meal at random, and bought some biscuits and chocolates from the supermarket in the mall to store in the car. Starting from tomorrow, we should be visiting small towns or mountainous areas along the way. It is estimated that we will not be able to re-enter the urban area until we reach Queenstown in a few days.