Day 1 Sunday - Christchurch

We've arrived! Three flights and 11,500 miles was always going to be arduous but all ran to plan and we reached our motel at 9.30 pm Saturday.  A shower and comfy bed felt amazing and we awoke refreshed and walked into Christchurch where we boarded a vintage tram for the city tour.

Christchurch is a garden city with parks, gardens and the Avon river winds through the centre. It soon became clear how devastating the 2011 earthquake was, with many buildings still under repair and gaps where office blocks once were.  The stone cathedral awaits restoration and meantime there's a transitional one built of cardboard, local wood and steel with polycarbonate roof. It was very plain but had a peaceful, serene vibe.  Next to it is a moving memorial with 185 white empty chairs placed to represent each victim of the quake.

Once off the tram we walked through the botanic gardens - locals were picnicking, kids playing and punts going along the river. The rose garden was in full flower and smelt wonderful.

By mid afternoon we headed back to the motel to put our feet up. We've done 20k steps so I think we'll sleep well tonight.