Christchurch

The last two days we spend in the largest city on New Zealand's South Island with around 390,000 inhabitants. Here we have to say goodbye to our faithful companion Klaus-Gunther and take the flight to Hanoi via Kuala Lumpur. We don't have much time to explore the city. On the first day in Christchurch, which is named after the Christ Church in Oxford College, we spend almost the whole day looking for a parcel service, packing a large and heavy package and sending it to Germany. In Asia, we won't need our tent, sleeping bags, and sleeping mats, so we are glad to continue our journey with much less luggage from now on. In the afternoon, we go for a coffee and update the blog in the hostel. Yes, you read that right - 'in the hostel' - because we spend our nights in Christchurch in a hostel converted from a prison. We think it's a pretty cool idea and a clever reuse for the old building with the Swedish curtains.

The 'common room' of our hostel

This is what the 'rooms' used to look like here, but now the interior is a bit more comfortable and there's a latch on the other side of the heavy metal door

On the second day, we return our beloved Klaus-Gunther to the car rental. Everything goes smoothly. It feels like the car isn't really inspected properly. It's a bit sad to leave Klaus-Gunther behind, who was well cared for and cherished. We set off to finally explore the city. Our first stop is the tourist information center to get a map for a city tour. On the way there, we pass by the ChristChurch Cathedral. The effects of the three major earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 can still be seen here.

ChristChurch Cathedral

The ChristChurch Cathedral was built between 1864 and 1904. In the following years, the building was repeatedly damaged by smaller and larger earthquakes. In the second of the successive major earthquakes in February 2011, the church almost completely collapsed and lost its tower. Today, a thick construction fence prevents access to the ChristChurch Cathedral, and it is still waiting to be rebuilt. Since almost the whole city was destroyed in the last earthquakes - up until the temporary end of the earthquake series in late 2013, about 1500 buildings collapsed or were severely damaged - the cityscape of Christchurch is still strongly shaped by this destruction six years later. On the one hand, there are still occasional braced walls standing around, and in contrast, many of the buildings and houses are new constructions and look very modern. Christchurch seems to us like a very young and trendy city, which it undoubtedly is. Many colorful paintings adorn buildings and walls, which contributes to a very colorful cityscape that we like very much. The (still) free spaces are used by skaters and artists, and many small, trendy bars, cafes, and restaurants have settled back in the center.

You frequently see walls supported by containers in ChristchurchColorful paintings adorn many walls

For lunch, we stop at the burger restaurant Bacon Brothers. With a name like that, you can't go wrong! Markus even gets a $1 beard discount, so it's official: we are dealing with a first-class and stylish establishment for fast food, and we are in the right place! The specialty of the house is burgers that use a bacon patty instead of a beef patty. That definitely needs to be tried, after all, it's the specialty of the house! The accompanying fries are among the best we've ever had (Markus might be exaggerating a bit, but they really are very good)! Perfect level of browning, crispy, and delicious seasoning salt. Markus even gets a free high-five with his burger! So we highly recommend this place if you ever find yourself in Christchurch.

After lunch, we finish our city tour and pass by the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial in memory of the people who fell victim to the earthquake. There are still photos, stuffed animals, and flowers in front of it. This is where the sorrow and extent of the city's destruction really hits us. Because the wounds are still deep, and even though the cityscape is slowly recovering, not everything can be restored.

Christchurch Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial WallTram of Christchurch - now only active for touristsMarkus on detours

After our city tour, we return to the hostel, cook dinner, and share the remaining groceries with the people. Then we gather our last belongings because we have to get up at three o'clock in the morning as our flight to Melbourne leaves at 6 o'clock in the morning. We will have a 15-hour layover in Melbourne before continuing on to Kuala Lumpur.

All in all, we really liked Christchurch, even though there is still a lot under construction and some remnants of the earthquakes haven't been cleared away yet. The problem here is that Christchurch was built on a drained coastal plain. The heavy earthquakes rehydrated the ground, which consists of sand and maritime sediments. The liquefaction of the soil caused by this process endangers the stability of the houses, which is why it is still unclear how and if many buildings will ever be rebuilt. So many construction sites still shape the cityscape, but new and modern buildings and houses have also been built. We wonder what the city will look like in 20 years, as there is still a lot of potential for architectural changes. Maybe we will come back someday.

We could have easily imagined staying here for another day or two. However, in hindsight, it's also good that we didn't stay longer. While we are waiting for our connection in Melbourne, we receive the news that there has been an attack on two mosques in Christchurch. We are shocked. We have gotten to know New Zealand as a very liberal and open-minded country, multicultural and diverse. We have met lovely and friendly people. And we think it's great how the country has responded to this cruel act.