Christchurch

Our journey south toward our Dunedin house / pet sit takes us through Christchurch. Sunrise across the Pacific from our beachy Airbnb is beautiful.

We are big fans of Airbnb for the local experience. Here in our Christchurch space, one of the book shelves holds multiple familiar and favorite titles - big smile. On another I find a copy of an obscure cookbook that I have had at home for 30+ years - with the corn chowder recipe!

We are happy to be in one spot for four instead of just one or two nights, which we find somewhat exhausting.

We feel comfortable in this city.

On a trip to the Christchurch museum and botanical gardens, we are subdued by the fresh and painful memorial to the mosque shooting victims that fronts the area. It is uncomfortably familiar.

We move sadly into the museum and gardens which prove distracting and informative - and they are FREE - way to go New Zealand!