Days in Christchurch

After a short flight down to the South Island, we arrived in Christchurch in the afternoon. Thanks to the good directions from our new host Miliana, we quickly found our new accommodation, which was centrally located this time.
Miliana greeted us warmly in the evening and immediately wrote us the 'proof of address' needed for the bank account, so that we could set off the next day.

After visiting 3 bank branches and walking 10 km, we reached the Kiwibank in the Container Mall in downtown Christchurch. The friendly lady at the counter accepted Miliana's letter as the first bank, as all the other banks required a different official document from the house, such as an electricity bill.
Fortunately, we were able to make an appointment at the Kiwibank for the next day.

To enjoy the sunny day after the long march from branch to branch, we went to Hagley Park, which is the largest urban park in New Zealand with 164,637 ha. With its botanical garden, huge green spaces, and extraordinary trees, this park has a lot to offer, so we unintentionally spent several hours there and walked more kilometers.

The next day, we went back to the Container Mall, a shopping street consisting of colorful containers and converted caravans, to attend the appointment at the Kiwibank.
After the account opening went smoothly, we were able to fill out and submit the forms for the New Zealand tax number directly there.

So we finally achieved our goals for Christchurch!!

We really liked the city of Christchurch. However, you can still see significant damage caused by the terrible earthquake in February 2011.
185 people died in that earthquake and numerous buildings, such as the Christchurch Cathedral, were partially or completely destroyed.
Today, many construction sites, damaged houses, and vacant lots dominate the cityscape. However, if you look closer, you can find many beautiful places between the scaffolding and cranes that make the city lovable despite the defining events.
Furthermore, Christchurch is not called 'The Garden City' for nothing, because besides Hagley Park, there are more green spaces and parks on every corner.