CHCH-ing!

I already liked Christchurch, what with it being the hometown of my very awesome friend Tim after all, but I wasn't aware how much I liked it until I actually got there. As I had made it to Tim's hood before Tim, by several hours, I took the opportunity to hang out at the Christchurch Art Gallery where they were having an amazing-looking Ron Mueck exhibition. In the name of thrift, however, I just poked my nose around the corner and instead took in all the free shit. It's good shit.

I then navigated the ridiculously easy CHCH bus network to find myself wandering around what I knew was my friend's home area until I heard his very distinctive laugh, and seconds later was handed a glass of wine and introduced to his incendiary extended family. I was stoked enough just to have my own bed, but getting washing done for me, getting fed to bursting and then taking a bottle of vodka over to his friend's place made me grin from ear to spazzy ear.

The next day, after crepes which were an attempt to say thank you for my overwhelmingly great welcome, Tim and I commandeered his mum's car to drive around the sights of CHCH. After coffee half way up a mountain and the surveyance of some shocking earthquake damage (NZ might well be earthquake country, but I've never felt anything more than a tremor down my left hand side and as such, don't really understand how it works), we skidded right up to the summit, stopping only to take photos on the way up. I was told that the South Island was the more beautiful of the two, and it really is: see evidence below.

Heading down to the city, Tim took me to his old living area, which included possibly the best cafe I've ever been to, C1 Espresso. The food was great, the drinks were stellar but most importantly they had a water dispenser made from an old sewing machine, they were pumping the Ricky Gervais podcast into the toilets and the ladies' was announced as such by a Princess Leia doll stuck on the door. I was smitten and almost bought one of their t shirts from the fridge.

Trippy Leia

After a few days on my own, avoiding human contact to some extent, it was great to sit down with such a good friend over coffee and discuss life, the universe and everything. Some very inspiring decisions came from that chat - including my hope to take Mondays off while in Canada to write and hopefully end up finishing that enigmatic first novel - and I hope I can keep hold of those resolutions in the future.

The gorgeous day was ended perfectly, enjoying champagne with the soon-to-be-married neighbours, and early to bed so I wouldn't miss my flight. Saying goodbye to my favourite Kiwi in the morning was not easy, but knowing that he'll be visiting Canadialand made it all the more bearable.