Spotlight - Christchurch, New Zealand

When I was given the opportunity to head to Christchurch, New Zealand for a quick trip over New Years' Eve 2012 with family, all it took was making sure that my real life work was covered and I didn't have to think twice about it. I knew it was a 'family' holiday, I knew that I'd be subjected to the decisions of my father and his inevitable control of the wheel of the hire car - regardless of how much travelling I've done, my input is not very relevant. But I was content to go with that – and before I knew it I was hopping on a plane and arriving in New Zealand without taking so much as a Google search to look around the area.

No amount of Google searching could have  prepared myself for the reality which faced me in Christchurch. The earthquakes of September 2010 and February 2011 have left the city centre beyond devastated. I knew that buildings had been destroyed and I'd heard of the 'red zone' which had been something intangible to me. Seeing it in person filled me with an indescribable, overwhelming feeling of sadness. The entire city centre, more or less, is barricaded.

The Red Zone - the area which lies beyond the fence

Accommodation

We stayed at the West Fitzroy Apartments which, as far as apartments in Christchurch city go, were as well located as they could be. By navigating along the fence of the red zone we were just a few blocks from the Casino, and also just a few blocks from Hagley Park where New Years eve festivities took place. It was a slightly longer walk, albeit a doable walk, to the South City Centre where there was a grocery store, and as we later discovered, other grocery shopping options exist on Moorhouse Avenue. There are other apartments and accommodations open in the Christchurch area, at various ranges of budget. Do your research - the singular thing I researched prior to leaving home was whether there was an internet cafe nearby. My nativity about the severity of the situation in Christchurch meant that all six internet cafes I had the addresses for, were located in the Red Zone. Research properly when it comes to determining what is in the surrounding area.

The apartments themselves were clean, bright and reasonably well maintained. As we were there over a series of public holidays, my few gripes (no dishwashing detergent in my room) would have been dealt with promptly had reception been open.

West Fitzroy Apartments, Christchurch

I feel as though as a member of the Christchurch tourism community, West Fitzroy Apartments could direct more effort into supporting the tourism industry and encourage people to enjoy the area. A city is not comprised of only its city centre, and despite the loss of so much beauty, there's still a lot to see and do in the Canterbury region. I feel as though the apartments could have been a little more proactive in terms of ensuring that guests understand how to get to the amenities they want, and just how close we were to tourist attractions. The only major impact was in terms of nightlife – a typical tourist day might consist of a day trip somewhere in the city outskirts or in the wider region, and the back to to your base where you may dine, have a few drinks, listen to some live music – however with the city centre more or less obliterated, these options were not available. In the wider suburbs of Christchurch, there are still plentiful options and perhaps a guide to these would have been a good idea. As someone who is used to staying in backpackers hostels where reception are generally open longer hours and are often useful in making such suggestions, it was a bit of a shock for me staying at such apartments. It almost felt as though we'd booked into these nice apartments and then they'd run off and left us to fend for ourselves. It would not take them long to update their 'room guide' to include some specific and updated information to assist tourists in making the most of their time in Christchurch, and not leaving feeling demoralised.

Transport

I've never utilised a hire car during my travels – mostly because I've travelled solo for the bulk of the time and hire cars are not particularly cost effective if you're a lone wolf. The wider Canterbury area is one which I would absolutely advocate the usage of a hire car – in fact I would consider it practically necessary, unless you are part of a bus tour package. New Zealand is all about driving – cities are spread out with not always convenient public transport options, day trips galore exist if you're prepared to jump behind the wheel of a car, and between cities and around the outskirts, the scenery is absolutely stunning on the regular route, and if you take the scenic route it becomes even more breathtaking.

Scenery on the way to Arthur's Pass

 I would also simultaneously warn that road conditions are not at their best. There is a large amount of roadworks around the immediate city area, due to the ongoing after affects of the earthquakes and liquefaction. There are also segments, in particular around cliffs, where roads are lined with containers, in case of any falling debris from the cliffs. Drive carefully, use your wits, if a road is blocked off, it is blocked off for a reason. Ensure that your maps/GPS are current. 

Roadworks to fix the affects of liquefaction

Containers line the cliffsides for safety measures. 

Christchurch City

As already described, the city centre itself is more or less cut off to public access. The majority of the architectural beauty which the city was celebrated for is no longer available for public viewing.

There are some scenic views along the river, I'm a fan of photography featuring rivers and riverbeds on any day so I enjoyed taking a series of snaps, capturing the oasis of beauty in the midst of a city with so much devastation.

The makeshift strip mall.

Just recently they reopened a strip mall on Cashel Street– albeit temporary – in an attempt to lift spirits and drive tourism.The shops literally constructed from containers, just like those which line the roads by cliffs.


For me, however, the walk around the city centre (literally, around, walking around the outskirts of the red zone fence) was a chilling, haunting, humbling experience. There are signs of hope and optimism around, the people of Christchurch rallying together to rebuild and regather.

A guardian angel on a crane, looking over the people of Christchurch.

The city outskirts feature a number of tourist attractions, including the Riccarton Mall and Markets if you're up for a spot of shopping; a number of zoos and wildlife experiences; and the International Antarctic Centre which is near the airport.

Day Trips

Christchurch positions itself as being an ideal jumping off point for a large volume of tourist attractions in the surrounding area. There are a number of smaller towns which are worth the trip to go and look around and enjoy the local fare, and there is a great deal of scenic driving in the area.

Arthur's Pass

In my time in Christchurch, we took a drive around Brighton area, and then back across to the Lyttleton area, taking just a few hours to drive around, take a few snaps and get out for a walk at a few interesting spots. It also took less than half a day to drive to the stunning and breathtaking views at and on the way to Arthur's Pass. We spent almost a full day at Akaroa, enjoying a long scenic drive on the way back. These experiences represent only a small portion of the destinations within reason to access within a day.

Conclusion

Overall, New Zealand is a picturesque and beautiful country with so much to be explored and seen. As an Australian I feel fortunate to have such a neighbour just across the pond - my parents have been several times over the last six years and still haven't seen the entirety of such a tiny country. There's a lot of value and the experience for me was a touching and humbling one, despite the inconveniences and disappointments.