Christchurch

Sadly it is time to go home. Our last stop after an extended stay in Kaikoura is Christchurch, where we have a morning to see the sights before saying goodbye to our van and catch a flight home.

The rapidly escalating situation with the pandemic has finally caught up with us, although at that time there were not many restrictions in New Zealand yet. The stress of coming home, worrying about jobs, flights and going through airports definitely dampened the mood here, along with the rain. We drove into the city and visited the temporary cathedral, walked along the river and did a little punting tour. The highlight here was Quake City, the museum that tells the story of the Christchurch earthquakes in 2010-11.

We were lucky that our flight home had not been affected, and although the queue at the checkin was hours long, the rest of the trip went smoothly.