About to Set Sail

I’m now in Akaroa, which is on the Banks Peninsula to the southeast of Christchurch. I spent less than a day in Christchurch because I figured I’ll end up there for at least a couple days at the end of my trip. Still, I think that Christchurch is a fun little city. It might not have been noticeable on the night I arrived–when the streets were deserted and it was spitting with rain–but it’s a cool place that I wouldn’t mind living if the weather wasn’t so British.

Also, I wasn’t aware that there was a “World Buskers Festival” until I arrived in Christchurch. Apparently Christchurch hosts it every year for 10 days near the end of January. All of the buskers–street performers from around the world–are given plane tickets to NZ but are otherwise not paid for their 10 days of performances. It’s up to the crowds to pay them. In the hours before my 2pm departure for Akaroa, I saw 3 or 4 acts performing in locations around the city. There were children’s shows near the Peacock fountain in the Botanic Gardens, the Mighty Dave rode a unicycle while tossing plates & saucers with his foot and catching them on his head in Victoria Square, and Mr. Bunk from Montreal did a hilarious Mr. Bean-esque show in Cathedral Square, All in all, quite unexpected but quite good entertainment!

Before the busking started (which was at 11…and I woke up at 6.15…so that’s plenty of time), I did my own short walking tour of the city. My hostel, Coachman Backpackers, was really well located–on the street behind Cathedral Square, which is in the centre of Christchurch–so I was within a 5 or 10 minute walk of most of the major sights. I had seen many of them on my previous trip to Christchurch, but it was nice to see them again since our previous trip was a bit rushed.

So as I said, I’m now in Akaroa. It’s a beautiful seaside town with a French flavour, since it was originally a French settlement back in the 1840s. All of the street names begin with “Rue” and I’m looking out the window at a restaurant called “Ma Maison.” Yesterday was a stunning day–funny, since it was overcast and generally gray in Christchurch, which is only 70kms away. I was really tired when I arrived in town at about 3.30, but I completely passed on the idea of a nap when I saw the sun sparkling off the aquamarine waters of the bay.

This afternoon I’m going out on a ketch called the Fox II. We’ll be sailing around the harbour and out into the ocean surrounding the Banks Penuinsula, and hopefully we’ll get to see the native Hector dolphins and some little penguins!