“It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.”

― The Lord of the Rings

Now that I've explored the north island of New Zealand, it was time to head over to what many describe as "the better island". Initially, I had planned to stay in Christchurch for two nights, take a bus to Twizel, and borrow a small camper van from a friend. As these things go, the car engine broke a week before my arrival. Even though the peak season was coming to an end, the accommodation and rental car situation was still challenging. I managed to book one of the few available cars — for a small fortune — but I had to wait for three more nights to pick it up. I have rushed through the last two and a half weeks, so I wasn't too sad about the forced rest time.

Exploration

Christchurch isn't that exciting, but it has its own charm.

The city tram is an interesting way to do some sightseeing, but to be fair, the stops are all within a walkable distance. For longer distances, you can use Lime or — better and cheaper — Flamingo scooters.

The New Regent Street is a short pedestrian street with 40 cafés, restaurants and shops. Its Spanish Mission architectural style makes it a popular tourist destination.

The botanical garden is a great place to enjoy some nature on a sunny day. A rosarium includes countless rose species.

The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial is a memorial for those killed in the fatal Christchurch earthquake in 2011.

The Riverside Market is a popular food market amongst tourists. I visited it a few times and all the food was great.

As other places in New Zealand, Christchurch is also full of graffiti art.

Here are some more shots I got during my time in Christchurch.

International Antarctic Centre

Christchurch is one of only five Antarctic gateway cities in the world (next to Chile, Argentina, South Africa and Australia). It makes sense that there is an International Antarctic Centre and a corresponding exhibition to learn more about that continent.

The Hägglunds field trip is a major attraction. Hägglunds is the company that built Bandvagn 206: an all-terrain carrier, initially built for the Swedish Army, and later used to navigate through Antarctica. A 15-minute ride simulates all the challenges the vehicle faces on the rough terrain.

The Storm Experience simulates the weather conditions in Antarctica. The room is usually -8°C cold, but every few minutes, a storm cools down the room to chilly -18°C.

The Little Blue Penguin (Kororā) is New Zealand’s smallest penguin. The Penguin Rescue holds up to 26 of those cute animals.

Experiences

It's possible to rent a kayak on the Avon river, which winds through the botanical garden. It was rather chilled, but a good preparation for a longer kayak trip that I've planned.

Over three weeks after my last session, I finally got back into a bouldering gym!

I've had some shoulder pains for the last few weeks, so I decided to get a Thai massage for the first time in my life Unfortunately, it didn't solve the issues, but it was good nonetheless.

Fauna

The paradise shelducks are endemic and common across New Zealand. They are highly monogamic, and I almost always encountered them as a pair. A guide mentioned that once a paradise duck dies, their partner might follow soon after. It's poetic and sad at the same time.

The California quail is an introduced species. I encountered a family in the botanical garden.