Kia Ora Y'all, I wrote this a few months ago after leaving Christchurch. It was typed but I guess never published so I will do my best to recover my memories and experience of CHCH.
After leaving Kaikoura I drove up to Hamner springs to see the hot pools. It snowed pretty hard that night but did not stop me from getting in the hot water. From there it was a full day drive into CHCH. I decided to stop short of town at a camp near the beach. The cold and rain did not bother me so much, it was just good to get near the ocean. I met a few folks around the camp that had retreated from the devestation of the recent earthquakes. Each had a similar reaction to my planned trip into CHCH. It was a sad look on their face accomanied by a warning of the destruction that awaited me. It was as if I were entering a war zone.
In September of 2010 an earthquake hit the CHCH/Canterbury area. It was a large 7.1 quake that damaged many buildings and caused a great scare. In Feburary of the following year another 6.3 quake hit closer to the city center, forever changing the face of the most populous city on the South Island. This second quake struck in the middle of the work day. Some of the buldings that had been deamed safe faltered in this second shaking. The iconic spire on the Christchurch Cathedral fell from its perch and many buildings collaped. 185 lives were lost that day. The area is the Caanterbury plains, formed from alluvil sands eroded from the near by mountains. The shaking caused the sand and dirt to react in a certain way called liquifaction. Like quicksand, water between the particles rose to the surface and caused many of foundations to fail as silt and water spouted up from the ground. Many quakes have followed and continue to rumble the area.
As I do when I arrive in a new town I headed to the information site. This trip would be diffrent. The cranes that dominated the skyline as I drove into town were not for construction, they were for removing the rubble. The map of the downtown/central business district that I had was no good. The CBD was fenced off to the public and only trucks were passing the security gates. the I-site, like many things had been moved to a temporary building near the city gardens. With some info I headed out to Banks Penensula, an extinct volcano to the east of CHCH. My destination was an old Frenc Whaling settlement called Akaroa. It was a nice drive and the town looked quaint but I was turned off by an aproaching storm and high winds. Akaroa was to be the french foothold and claim in New Zealand. As history goes the Brits arrived and raised their flag thus claiming the bay for themselves less than a month before the french could. It is still influenced by that french connection. It remains a small town with lots of tourists. I returned to CHCH the following day to explore what I could. The CBD is still being torn down. There is a viewing area where you can watch the "Progress". Near this is a makeshift market of shipping containers with shops and cafes in operation. The art museum is closed but some displayes have been erected outside of the building to provide some enjoyment. Part of the history museum is open since it has been retrofitted for the next quake. In all there is progress but a year out it is my opinion that it is too little.
THis is a theme that I noticed when I took a bus ride out to the Antarctic Center, the base of operations for all Antarctic research. On the hour tour of the city to get out to the center I observed many buildings surrounded by a fence, in diffrent stages of falling down. Adjcent buildings are safe and show little to no damage but the inhabitants are constantly seeing the aftermath of the devestating quakes. I think this constant reminder negativly effects those residents.
On a lighter note the Antarctic Discovery Center was a good time. It was geared mostly to kids but I love learning so I took it in stride. There were lots of information panels, a storm simulater, and I even got to ride in a track car that they use on the ice. It can climb up and down steep slopes and even float in water. I did not like the 4-D movie which was 3-D but you got sprayed in the face every few minutes with water. On the way back I got to talk to the bus driver. Christchurch area is known as the "Garden City", behind houses and between neighborhoods I could see orchards and farm operations. Every few blocks were fruit and vege stands selling local outdoor grown food. it brightened my heart to see a community still doing its best to get back to normal. I also visited the NZ Air Force museum and got to learn all about how the kiwis almost beat the Wright brothers to be the first to fly. It even had real planes in the building.
My time in Christchurch was good. I feel for the families that have been barred from going into their homes to get their valuabes. Recently the government and insurance companies have made headway identifying the structures that are condemed, thus needing to be torn down and those that just need some structural repairs. Unfrotunatly there are some folks that cant rebuild because of damage to the land. An even sadder case is those who are still living in limbo, not knowing what is going to happen to their homes and lives. Many have moved away. Most to Golden bay and Wellington. CHCH is now a city healing eventhough it is slow. I dont think it will ever be what it was but for those hardy folks who refuse to give up I tip my hat to you.
I left there and headed across to Arthurs pass. The rest of my trip was good but I again got flooded. My Farewell to the North Island and My final hike will be out soon. New Zealand was a great trip for me. I have lerned lots about life and myself. I am glad to be back In the US of A. My next chapter will be starting soon and will still be in the form of an adventure. Heres to every day adventures. Pura Vida!
