Day Nineteen - Christchurch to Wellington and beyond ......

The Air BnB host was happy for us to vacate the property later than is

suggested, which was a great help.  In return I washed some of the bedsheets and we put them out on the line to enjoy the November (almost December) sunshine.  It was decided to get the bus to the airport, which is about 30 minutes away.  Christchurch is a strange city that has been blighted by

earthquakes which is a terrible shame as it is looking like a huge building site as it slowly rebuilds it self; ironic really as it reminded me of me. Destroyed totally in some aspects; but trying to slowly rebuild something beautiful but in a

different way. Sometimes the new design is good, functional, strong; other times it just looks like a chaotic mess of stuff to put together.  It is ironic how you learn about yourself when there is only you to figure it out.  The street art was particularly good with artists making the most of the space available to brighten up concrete walls.  I wish Christchurch well, it has spirit.

The bus service was smooth to the airport and full of backpackers off on their next adventure.  I wish I had the guts to do it.  The flight back to Wellington was fine.  By the time you are up there it is time to get back down again. However, things were about to change.

For reasons, which I will not go into here, it was time for me to move on. I had two choices: get an earlier flight home which was going to cost me extra (the time of the year, people on the move and all that) or to make the most of it,

have a word with myself and figure it out.  I figured it out as let's face it, I have spent most of my bloody life doing this!  I said my goodbyes and thanks to Jackie and it has been so lovely spending some time with her and the both of us making new memories, ones that I will always treasure.  She really is a dear friend and I love her to bits.

Thank goodness for technology I say and Betsy May Ray Jackson (my MacBook) and a credit card and Plan B was put into action.  When life throws you lemons you can either make lemonade or if you are me 'there is nothing that a bit of lip can't put right' and find some good gin and add the lemons to that.  This is what I did.  

I arrived at my new home around 5.00ish after using my Uber app for the first time (thank goodness for planning for eventualities).  The cab driver was a

Well you have to have fish and chips on your holidays 

lovely bloke and very informative of my new location.  In fact, I had been there before and this is why I chose it as it is in walking distance of the airport and a good location to hold up until the flight home.  My host was lovely and made me feel at home and my room is great; it has all that I need.  My host drove me around the local area showing me places I could go and what was the quickest route to the airport on Saturday.  Unfortunately, she is away the weekend and I have to be out by 10.00am but that is OK, the small town has a library (and you know how much I like a library).  By the time I have gone and got a coffee, done some studying, grabbed some brunch it will be time to walk the 25 minutes to the airport (or I may just get another Uber, we shall see).  So Plan B kind of works.

I went down to the town in the evening and did not really know what, if anything I wanted to eat, so ended up having some fish, chips and a couple of battered mussels (yes, once again you did read that right. It was rather lovely, sitting in the sunshine, watching the world go by.  I then went to the

When you are going the wrong way, go a different way 

supermarket to get some water and that was a total headfuck as there I am in my sandals, teeshirt and cropped trousers and there is Band Aid singing Do They Know It's Christmas ..... really.  It really does not seem like Christmas.  They really do not go overboard here in New Zealand like the craziness of the UK.   I must admit I do prefer it as by the time I eventually get home, it really will be near to Christmas.

I got home and hanged my washing out on the line, such a beautiful evening.  My host showed me the Weta Studios when she took me out to show me around. She was telling me that Sir Peter

Weta Studios -beyond the houses

Jackson was local lad who still lives nearby (she even said she could show me his home), whose children went to the local school when they were little.  A refreshing change me thinks.  Any back to my new abode and my host poured me a rather nice glass of white wine (just what I needed), she must have thought I looked as if I needed it.  So all is well.  Not ideal, but it is OK.  I have figured it out.  So tomorrow is another, albeit my last full day, and I will give myself a different adventure.

As always, with my love x