Day 43 - Rain and a Nice Reunion

The day started as rainy as it ended. Otherwise, this day was completely different from my previous days in New Zealand. I enjoyed the breakfast buffet to the fullest!

Unfortunately, going outside was not enjoyable like the past few days. I arrived at the airport completely soaked. And even there, the lady from Avis was somewhat incredulous. Luckily, the bike fit well in the trunk with the seat folded down. So I rode back to the hotel to pick up my remaining bags. Bryan was waiting for me there, whom I met in Kumara (Day 27) along with Dave. I had told them about my rough plan of when I would be in Christchurch and which hotel I would probably be in. He remembered that and had been there for the third day in a row now, as I had planned to be in Christchurch two days earlier.

We had a coffee together before Bryan offered to show me around Christchurch. Due to the ongoing rain, we took a little tour of the city in his car. The devastating earthquake of 2011 is omnipresent throughout the city. Construction sites everywhere and still many destroyed buildings. The former cathedral of Christchurch seems to be particularly affected. Bryan told me that the government and the church could not agree on a possible reconstruction.

After this really interesting drive through the city center, we stopped by Dave's place briefly before Bryan dropped me off at the hotel again. I went shopping quickly and then headed towards Arthur's Pass. This is one of the three passes over the Alps, and with inclines beyond 16%, it is considered particularly dangerous. I set up my tent on a meadow on the shores of Lake Pearson, which had a somewhat mystical atmosphere in the light fog.