Final Frontier

Let it go
I had read about Earth&Sky star gazing tours in one of the many, many flyers, magazines, leaflets that you collect on these trips… It sounded great, a night time tour on top of a mountain, with astronomers from the observatory in one of the darkest parts of the country…. I was even more thrilled to […] Read More

Lake Tekapo

Let it go
Before heading out of Christchurch, I paid a visit to the Quake City Exhibition. In the heart of what once was the Central Business District, this exhibition explains the background of the earthquake in 2011 (and the historic ones), the science behind plate tectonics, liquefaction, sand volcanoes… But it also gives a human touch to […] Read More

Pallet Pavilion

Let it go
I came back from Akaroa in time for sunset in Christchurch, and wanted to have a second look, in beautiful weather instead of yesterday’s rain. Alas, it’s just as depressing. I’m still speechless. Christchurch is inventive though. If your shopping mall is a ruin, create a temporary one. This one became so good, it might […] Read More

Bonjour, Akaroa

Let it go
If things would have turned out a bit differently, I might speak French in La nouvelle Zélande, aujourd’hui! I took a day trip out to the Banks Peninsula, that sits on the middle of the East coast, a bit south of Christchurch. Formed by two massive volcanos, the peninsula is mountainous, rugged, and possesses several […] Read More

New Brighton Beach

Let it go
Needed a quick coffee in the morning and headed to the beach in New Brighton – where I have my B&B. It’s a little suburb of Chch, as the locals tend to call their hometown. The little street towards the beach was also struck by the earthquake. Lots of empty spaces, parking spaces, art, park […] Read More

Christchurch

Let it go
In the late afternoon I drove into the city center of Christchurch. Sure, I heard and read about the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes that killed 185 people… However I was totally unprepared to what was waiting for me. I had not expected to see a city that devastated. I imagined buildings standing, damaged, cracked, maybe […] Read More

Canterbury

Let it go
So many names here in New Zealand remind me of Britain, of course. I understand the settlers wanted to remember the home they left, but it’s also somewhat weird. I can’t really think that they were reminded by the landscape…? With those high mountains? I drove from Kaikoura to Christchurch today, taking the scenic Alpine Pacific […] Read More

Coastal ride

Let it go
The northwest coast of the South Island is stunningly beautiful. It was an easy drive and I advanced fast. At first the landscape was surprisingly dry. Hills with yellow gras fields, all dry and mowed down by the countless sheep… only a couple of trees or smaller forests. Then: wine country. Vineries galore and endless […] Read More

Cook Strait

Let it go
This morning I boarded the ferry to the south Island. 3h10 for the passage from Wellington to Picton, passing through the Cook Strait and Marlborough Sounds with its islands and waterways. The coast line in this northernmost part of the South Island is outright ridiculous, and reminds you of a fractal, in its endless repetitions. […] Read More

Art, wind & politics

Let it go
Art, wind and politics would sum it up for me. Wellington is a nice town, the setting on the harbor is amazing…. the town itself reminds me of Seattle or Portland in the US… same style of houses, the street art, the slightly artsy, alternative feel. On Friday I went up to the Botanical Garden […] Read More

Shaky grounds

Let it go
My neighborhood is called Mount Victoria, after the highest peak in the city. I wanted to hike up there to get that famed 360 degree view over the city and the harbor, luckily a bus line went half way up – the rest of it was tough enough. On top, I was reward with a […] Read More