NZ Day 0 & NZ Day 1

Sunday, 2 April 2017

 

After a big morning of tidying, organising &  packing we finally left Hobart at 4pm on Saturday and with a pretty quick change in Melbourne and a tailwind to NZ we arrived at our airport hotel in Christchurch at about 1.30am, just in time to put the clocks back for daylight savings.  We were pretty tired, so the extra hour's sleep was much appreciated!

By 9am Sunday we were at the RV centre to pick up our campervan and home for the next 8 nights - the RV centre was mindb lowingly large and well organised. We briefly entertained the possibility of just spending our  time there where we’d have access to unlimited tea and coffee and showers and toilets.  Luckily we were starting to get hungry, so we prised ourself away and went to the next best place… the supermarket carpark..

Refreshed, refuelled and loaded with $350 of groceries (is the South Island more expensive than the North or is everything just expensive now?) we set sail for Christchurch centre to visit the tourist information place and take a quick walk around town.  It was pretty cool - we saw the shipping container mall new art installations and walked via the river and earthquake memorial to the botanical gardens and it all seemed to be buzzing with happy locals and tourists on the beautiful warm Sunday afternoon.


My last visit to Christchurch was when I spent a miserable day there by myself after a horror overnight bus trip from Dunedin back in 1987. Despite the earthquake damage it looked really nice this time around.

Then it was time to really set off...

We’d decided upon Hamner Springs which was an easy 90 minute drive through flat plains towards steep steep hills.  We arrived not much before it got dark but with just enough time to go for a delightlful run on mountain bike trails near our free-campervan parking spot nestled in the forest right outside town.

It’s a lovely place to stay. And it's quite surprising to find such a nice legal place to stay for free. Despite ‘freedom camping’ being a thing in NZ, it seems every council  spends a large proportion of their budget putting up signs telling you where you can’t stay.


Tomorrow we’re going to test out the Hot Springs before heading further north.
2016summary
Kangaroo Island - Day 4 Friday, 29 December 2017
Kangaroo Island - Day 3 Friday, 29 December 2017
Intermission Wednesday, 27 December 2017
Kangaroo Island - Day 1 Wednesday, 27 December 2017
Kangaroo Island - Day 2 Wednesday, 27 December 2017
School Lunches Friday, 22 December 2017
Lovely Jett Friday, 22 December 2017
Meanwhile.. Sunday, 10 December 2017
The best laid plans.. Sunday, 10 December 2017
Show Photos Saturday, 18 November 2017
Zali & Jett's cake Saturday, 18 November 2017
Show Cakes Friday, 17 November 2017
Gingerbread Men Thursday, 16 November 2017
Gingerbread Brewery Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Spring Flowers Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Derby River Derby Monday, 30 October 2017
Search Party Sunday, 22 October 2017
Fortescue Loop Take 3 Friday, 20 October 2017
Lime Bay Friday, 20 October 2017
Ikea makes everything better Tuesday, 3 October 2017
Back in Sydney.. Tuesday, 3 October 2017
Australian Champs - Day ? + 2 Saturday, 30 September 2017
Rest Day Schmest Day Friday, 29 September 2017
Australian Champs - Day ? Friday, 29 September 2017
Supertourists Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Way out west.. Tuesday, 26 September 2017
Long Nights Monday, 25 September 2017
Australian Champs - Day 4 Monday, 25 September 2017
Australian Champs - Day 3 Monday, 25 September 2017
Australian Champs - Day 2 Monday, 25 September 2017
Australian Champs - Day 1 Monday, 25 September 2017
Class Play Friday, 15 September 2017
Queens Domain Friday, 15 September 2017
The Great Koala Rescue of '93 Wednesday, 13 September 2017
Bird Rescue! Wednesday, 13 September 2017
It's getting better Wednesday, 6 September 2017
Before and After #43 - Kitchen Update Saturday, 2 September 2017
East Cloudy Head Thursday, 31 August 2017
It's hard to relocate when.. Monday, 14 August 2017
Bonus Weeks Wednesday, 9 August 2017
Small Adventures Wednesday, 9 August 2017
Thursday Bowling Wednesday, 9 August 2017
Before and After #42 - Tool Storage Tuesday, 1 August 2017
Goodbye tas-oak veneer kitchen Tuesday, 1 August 2017
Freycinet Winter Hike - Day 3 Wednesday, 26 July 2017
Freycinet Winter Hike - Day 2 Wednesday, 26 July 2017
Freycinet Winter Hike - Day 1 Wednesday, 26 July 2017
More Kingborourgh Trails Friday, 21 July 2017
Seagulls and Clifftops Monday, 10 July 2017
Vanilla Slice & Vanilla Slush Sunday, 9 July 2017
Garden Projects - Part 2 Saturday, 8 July 2017
Garden Projects - Part 1 Saturday, 8 July 2017
Motivation Saturday, 8 July 2017
Worst. Night. Ever. Wednesday, 28 June 2017
Arm End Reserve Monday, 26 June 2017
If it has to be fruit cake... Sunday, 25 June 2017
Nice Places Thursday, 22 June 2017
Other Milestones Thursday, 22 June 2017
Milestones Thursday, 22 June 2017
Launceston Sprint Orienteering Weekend Tuesday, 13 June 2017
Before and After #41 - Offcut Pathway Thursday, 8 June 2017
Cathedral Rock & Montague Thumbs Loop Thursday, 8 June 2017
Mount Fortescue Loop Saturday, 3 June 2017
Bruny Island Day Out Wednesday, 24 May 2017
Sewing Projects Friday, 19 May 2017
Melbourne Weekend Thursday, 18 May 2017
Before and After #40 - Be afraid.. Be very afraid.. Wednesday, 3 May 2017
Flags Wednesday, 3 May 2017
Cool things Wednesday, 3 May 2017
NZ Day 30 - Long Distance Final Sunday, 30 April 2017
NZ Day 28 - Rest Day 3 (HA!) Friday, 28 April 2017
NZ Day 27 - Long Qualifying 2 Friday, 28 April 2017
NZ Day 26 - Long Qualifying 1 Wednesday, 26 April 2017
NZ Day 25 - Rangitoto Island Tuesday, 25 April 2017
NZ Day 24 - Unexpected Outcomes Tuesday, 25 April 2017
NZ Day 23 - Sprint Qualifying Sunday, 23 April 2017
NZ Day 22 - Goodbye Rotorua, Hello Auckland Sunday, 23 April 2017
NZ Day 21 - Rest Day 2 (HA!) Saturday, 22 April 2017
NZ Day 20 - Rotorua Orienteering & Adrenaline Forest Thursday, 20 April 2017
NZ Day 19 - Rotorua Orienteering Thursday, 20 April 2017
NZ Day 18 - Rest Day (HA!) Tuesday, 18 April 2017
NZ Day 17 - Oceania Middle & Rotorua Tuesday, 18 April 2017
NZ Day 16 - Goodbye South Island Tuesday, 18 April 2017
NZ Day 15 - Milford Sound Saturday, 15 April 2017
Milford Track - Day 4 Saturday, 15 April 2017
Milford Track - Day 3 Saturday, 15 April 2017
Milford Track - Day 2 Saturday, 15 April 2017
Milford Track - Day 1 Saturday, 15 April 2017
NZ Day 9 - Pastries and Packing Saturday, 15 April 2017
NZ Day 8 - Pools and Puzzles Sunday, 9 April 2017
NZ Day 7 - More Glaciers & Amazing Views Sunday, 9 April 2017
NZ Day 6 - Gorges and Glaciers Friday, 7 April 2017
NZ Day 5 - Seals & Rocks Friday, 7 April 2017
NZ Day 4 - Old Ghost Road Wednesday, 5 April 2017
NZ Day 3 - Abel Tasman National Park Tuesday, 4 April 2017
NZ Day 2 - Hot Springs and Long Drives Monday, 3 April 2017
NZ Day 0 & NZ Day 1 Sunday, 2 April 2017
NZ (Planned) Wednesday, 29 March 2017
Pinto Tuesday, 28 March 2017
Before and After #39 - Ikea Stools Tuesday, 28 March 2017
Small Cakes Tuesday, 28 March 2017
Finally. Thursday, 23 March 2017
Shooting Up Tuesday, 21 March 2017
Mt Wellington Hike Tuesday, 21 March 2017
Mt Fortescue and Cape Pillar Tuesday, 21 March 2017
Crescent Bay and Mt Brown Friday, 17 March 2017
Southport Lagoon Thursday, 16 March 2017
Before and After #37 - Sliding Wardrobe Sunday, 5 March 2017
Maria Island Mini Trip Tuesday, 14 February 2017
Phone found! Race Photos! Tuesday, 14 February 2017
Done! Saturday, 4 February 2017
Waiting.. Waiting.. Saturday, 4 February 2017
Back into the wilderness Saturday, 4 February 2017
60 Walks Challenge - Walk #36 Saturday, 4 February 2017
More Frenchman's Photos Tuesday, 31 January 2017
Frenchmans Cap - Days 3 & 4 Tuesday, 31 January 2017
Frenchman's Cap - Day 2 Monday, 30 January 2017
Frenchman's Cap - Day 1 Monday, 30 January 2017
Frenchman's Cap - Prologue Sunday, 29 January 2017
Collins Bonnet Take 2 Saturday, 21 January 2017
Hartz Moutains again! Thursday, 19 January 2017
Bouddi Coastal Walk Sunday, 15 January 2017
Last Day! Sunday, 15 January 2017
Hot Hot Hot.. Saturday, 14 January 2017
More Summer Fun Thursday, 12 January 2017
Quiet Morning Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Sydney Day 9,10,, - Changing Gears Monday, 9 January 2017
Sydney Day 3 - Zali's Birthday Sunday, 8 January 2017
Sydney Day 9 - Spit Bridge to Manly Sunday, 8 January 2017
Sydney Day 8 - Why Sydney Aquarium Sucks Saturday, 7 January 2017
Sydney Day 1 - Bondi and Uber! Tuesday, 3 January 2017
Sydney Day 4 - Canyoning! Tuesday, 3 January 2017