The long journey to New Zealand

Oh, why does New Zealand have to be so far away... After a 4-hour train ride and a 12-hour flight, which was partially turbulent, we land slightly jet-lagged but still reasonably fit in Singapore. We have 1.5 hours here until boarding for our connecting flight. We definitely want to stretch our legs and use the time to explore the many gardens - I still remember the butterfly garden from my first trip to New Zealand in 2013. And we also visit the cactus, outdoor, enchanted, and water lily gardens, spread across 3 terminals, which we reach with the Sky Trains, although Singapore's humid-warm climate hits us like a hammer every time and immediately fogs up the camera lens. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to visit all the gardens, despite brisk walking, but each of us still has a 5.5-hour stopover on the way back.

The second Singapore Airlines plane that takes us to Christchurch is an older model. The seats are less modern, there is no USB connection to charge the phone, the air is so dry that my nose hurts despite the spray and creams, and the TV image is just pixelated. The distance between Singapore and New Zealand doesn't seem so far on the map. It seems like just a hop to Australia, and once you reach the east coast, you're practically there. However, the flight still takes another 10 hours, which drags on like chewing gum. While Eric watches one movie after another, I doze off in uncomfortable positions.

Arriving in Christchurch, I am selected for luggage inspection, including X-ray. Eric also has to show the contents of his suitcase, and while the officer checks our outdoor shoes, we chat about the upcoming trip and the fact that New Zealand is expected to have a hot summer after a wet winter. Let's hope that hot also means dry. Our luggage is clean, so we trot outside, and I even buy a New Zealand SIM card for my second phone with a discount of 7 NZD. When we arrive at the bus stop, we have to wait for our bus for another half an hour. The driver is very friendly and promises to let us know when we have to get off (in New Zealand, bus stops are not announced, and buses only stop on passenger demand). After half an hour of driving, we reach our destination, Christchurch Hospital. From here, it's only 500m to the hostel. We have to wait another 20 minutes until our room is ready. To recover from the jet lag, we treated ourselves to a twin room for the first 2 nights. Although we would prefer to collapse into bed, after a few minutes we pull ourselves together, change our jeans and long-sleeved top for shorts and a tank top, and make our way to the Pak'n'Save supermarket, which is 1.5 km away. We have prepared a shopping list - in total, we pay 100 NZD. The way back demands everything from us in the heat with our backpacks and bags full of groceries. After storing the food, we actually just want to take a short break, but we both fall asleep immediately. After an hour, we reluctantly force ourselves to get up again and decide to take a short walk through the adjacent Botanic Gardens along the Avon River. However, the effects of jet lag soon drive us back to the hostel. Once we arrive, we treat ourselves to a wonderfully refreshing shower - a treat after the long journey. Today, we only have a quick dinner (pasta with tomato sauce and sausages - a typical backpacker meal). We are in bed shortly after 9 pm. While Eric falls asleep as soon as he lies down, I stay awake until 10 pm and then also sink into a restful sleep.