7.12.18 Arthurpass - Christchurch

The last day in our mobile home breaks in Jackson at Arthurpass. We immediately empty the wastewater here so that we can enjoy the last day to the fullest afterwards. We leave early, the goal is to climb the Arthurpass before the truck traffic, stretch our legs a bit before we find a dreamy breakfast spot. The bagels are super delicious again. We continue our journey towards Christchurch, where we want to soak up some coastal vibes again. The weather is very good with a pleasant 20 degrees. We head towards Sumner, a beach suburb of Christchurch. Although most of it has been rebuilt now, the earthquake left a lot of rubble behind, which doesn't leave us cold. A long sandy beach, a beautiful beach promenade, and some cliffs. Perfect for a walk for us. First we climb up a cliff, then we walk along the beach. We are going in opposite directions, I enjoy walking barefoot on the beach, Patrick wears his Goretex shoes to protect his feet. It works for both of us...

After our last picnic lunch, we start packing and decluttering. Quite a lot has accumulated in 2.5 weeks. One last coffee on the beach, and then we have to return the camper by 4 PM. We make the most of it until the last minute.

The return goes smoothly and efficiently. The lady from the camper rental is almost speechless when Patrick takes off his shoes to go inside the camper, showing that we have taken care, which is true. And we can't believe our eyes when 5 minutes after us Felix, the German guy we once lent our power cable to, drives in with his bus. That's a big hello!!!

After checking in at Hotel Ibis and a nice shower in Christchurch, we enjoy our last evening. Things are going much better than in the beginning. Many have Christmas parties and walk around in Christmas jumpers.... Once again, we are impressed by the extent of the destruction caused by the earthquake at the end of 2010. Many construction sites in the city bear witness to this. We walk around the city again before the aperitif. We had some difficulty choosing a restaurant. Either nothing was open or everything was full, but our perseverance was rewarded and we found a very good Indian restaurant. And after 3 weeks without Indian food, I was already craving it again. A worthy end to our vacation.