First week!

Sorry for the lack of updates. My friends have kept me running nonstop since I got here! But here is a recap of the past few days.

My flights were smooth sailing until my already-short-stop in Sydney was made even shorter by a delayed plane, and a medical emergency. The crew on the LAX-SYDNEY flight got me a seat close to the doors, and security bumped me up to the front of the line, but it was still going to be a close call. Except after my full out sprint to the gate, I find I out that they are delayed. Ah well, at least I got my daily exercise,

Sadly, while I made that plane, my luggage did not. After a long discussion with the baggage enquiries (most of it was discussing differences in the American vs. British English, and how to say Arkansas), I was set to get my bags later that night,  phew! Stephen picked me up at the exit, and the adventuring began!

Lacking a definite plan, we wandered the city. First impressions of my dear Christchurch is that they rival Minnesota in road construction right now, and there are too many empty lots where buildings have been torn down. But it is still vibrant, hopeful, and full of terrible drivers.

We ended up in Riccaton Bush which is a small park/preserve in the Riccaton area. My memories do not do justice to how green the cities and park are. Even at the end of winter grass, trees, bushes, plants even flowers flourish! Sadly,I didn't take much pictures of our walks on the first day. But Stephen and I did manage to get a rueda done in the bush. That will be compiled with videos taken each day of this trip as we dance ourselves around the country.

Day two saw me stolen by my friend Scott for the week. We went out to Taylor's Mistake which is a inlet  that I have actually been to before. To get there we had to drive out along Sumner beach, which is one of the places most effected by the February earthquake. The road winds along cliffs lined with shipping containers to top rock fall, house above us are still half on and half off the cliff, construction is everywhere.  We hiked along the maintained trails for a while before going off road (calm down Mom and Oma, this is allowed). We shimmied down a hill to ocean level and climbed up and down the rocks that have fallen into the ocean. After exhausting ourselves hiking, we headed back for a night of board games.

Day three I spent the day with Stephen again. We had planned to go explore city center since Stephen had not been there since it's recent reopening either. During my last trip, I had spent some time going in and out and walking around the center. I thought I was pretty familiar with it. Now it is unrecognizable, the only way I know I am in the same place is by the street names. What buildings have not been torn down and made car parks, and blocked up with shipping containers, or are abandoned shells, leaving comparably few buildings in use. The air is filled with sounds of construction, orange cones scattered everywhere, and walking proved difficult since we often had to change sides halfway down the block. But this was not a hopeless place; they are rebuilding, people have turned ruins into artwork, we had lunch at a food cart in a pallet pavilion, and a strip mall had popped up made out of shipping containers among other things.

Day four started with a bright and early wake up call. Okay, early for everyone else, sleeping in for me,
Scott, Stephen and I loaded up and drove out to Akoroa peninsula. Last time I had been out there was my very last night, when Scott kidnapped my flat mates and I and drove us to the top of a mountain to look at the stars. This time we were in the daylight, so I was able to appreciate how beautiful the area is. Akoroa is basically a bunch of hills/mountains and valleys where lakes, or the ocean come in. Scott's future family-in-law own a farm along one of th hills, so we stopped there for lunch. I'm pretty sure it is my dream farm. Set along a wooded hillside that over looks the bay, their beef cattle run free, plants bloom all year around, and their house can almost sustain it's self. After lunch we went down to the town Akoroa and walked along the jetty. Akoroa is in the midst if changing to accommodate cruise ships. The ships used to stop closer to Christchurch in lyttleton harbor, but after the earthquake they are unable to anymore. Now the pressure is put onto the sleepy town of Akoroa.

Ack! Time to head out again. Sorry for the lack or pictures, I didn't want to abuse my Internet privileges