A holiday within my holiday

A quick look at my calendar, and I realised that I only have one more month in NZ, and that will be the end of my holiday. oh dear.

As I planned out my last one month in NZ, I realised that I don't have much time to waste, so I drew up a concise 30 day plan. As a result, I have also decided to go out to Christchurch this week as I don't want to spend time there when I leave Akaroa. I was lucky enough to catch a ride with Alan & Linda - an Australian couple who stayed here on Monday night. They were such nice people, and it was a great drive out over the Banks Peninsula.

I had to catch a $7 shuttle from the airport to the city, but it was just a small price to pay compared to how much the Akaroa Shuttle would have cost me. I checked myself into Coachman Backpackers as that was the nearest hostel, though I was only carry half the weight of my usual luggage, I thought there wasn't a need to walk that far to stay in a hostel for the same price. Christchurch is a very nice city, and the very wide roads makes it look bigger than it is. I hopped on the Christchurch Tram, and did a loop around the city before I explored further on foot. I made a quick decision to go to Hanmer Springs the next day, have always wanted to go there, eversince I saw the ad of Hanmer Springs Hot pools. So I made my booking at the i-site, and walked away as a happier person,just poorer by $74.

Met up with Victor for dinner, and had Japanese food. Yum ! It was a good place and seems to be very popular as the little restaurant was quite full even on a weekday. My dinner cost me $11 for a beef teriyaki with Japanese Curry, and the meal also came with unlimited salad, rice, miso soup and water. It was a good deal aye?

Met up with Soon Young for a bit, just in case I don't see her again before I leave NZ. Victor and I then went for a lil walk around Christchurch, he showed me some of the nice places in the city, and we made a quick stop at the casino. In the ladies room, they have a coin-operated hair straightener.. I thought that was pretty weird. Maybe some ladies have better luck if their hair was nice and straight. Hmm..

The weather then went harsh on us and started pouring, so I got dropped off back at my hostel at 10.30pm..went to bed straight away.. and I slept like a baby.

My shuttle was at 9.30am, and it was a 2 hours ride into Hanmer Springs. Found out that Nadine was on the same shuttle, we both have the same idea obviously. But she was only on a day trip as she needs to fly home the next day.

Hanmer Springs is a nice lil town, almost too small infact. But it's a great place for a one night retreat. I got myself settled down at Hanmer Backpackers, and ate my lunch -a Chicken and Camberie pie from Hanmer Bakery. It was yum ! I have all evening to soak in the pools, so I thought I'll do a short walk. Took the track up to Conical Hill to check out the view of the whole Hanmer Springs. It's amazing how it's a view of pine trees and snowy mountains on one side of the place, and just flat grounds on the other side. The view was breathtaking...at least the track up the hill was !

I went into the hot pools at 4.30pm, and didn't get out till 7.30pm ! I felt like a sponge then, warm and wrinkly, but definitely more refreshed though ! Had a quiet and early night back at the hostel.

It was a good lil trip out to Christchurch and Hanmer. Met up with Therese and Katy before I went back into Akaroa. Well, Katy was just a plain coincidence. :)