This is Dan saying “Kia ora from NEW ZEALAND. (that means welcome in Maori).  Today was arrival day in Christchurch, New Zealand.   Christchurch is definitely a cool town with two rivers that wind their way through its center and lots and lots of beautiful trees everywhere

After rounding up our two tons of luggage, catching a shuttle bus, and checking into our B&B we were free to set out and explore the sights in the “most English town outside of England.”  This is Stacy with Tina one of the residents of Croyden House where we were staying. 

We ate some curry for lunch, rented a car with its steering wheel on the wrong side and proceeded in search of fun.  We headed out to the Banks Peninsula and drove up to Mount Cavendish.  The entire Banks peninsula was built by a huge volcano that began underwater, formed an island and was then joined with the mainland by sediments carried along the coast from New Zealand’s Southern Alps. On the way back we stopped at New Brighton beach to check out some of the locals kite-surfing in icy water and icy winds.  We then returned to the city and went on a famished death march in search of a very special vegetarian restaurant that turned out to have very excellent food and ambiance.