Another day to go exploring NZ, this time in Christchurch. A day where we saw people at their best, and some people at their … hmmm … no so best.
Today was like a mirror image of yesterday, except rather than being in Dunedin we were in Christchurch, and rather than the weather being cold, it was really warm.
Short-sleeved tee-shirt warm. Wish I’d worn shorts warm.
We were up early again and down at the International Cafe by 8.15 for coffee and a light breakfast. We were off the ship by 9.00 and onto one of the free shuttle busses to Lyttleton – which for the record – is so close to the ship that I could have thrown a rock and hit it.
For reasons that are not entirely clear – but probably safety related – you cannot walk in the terminal area so they shuttle you out to Lyttleton. Once in Lyttleton you have the opportunity to catch a bus into town for the princely sum of $4.20 each way for both of us. That’s a total $8.40 compared to the $70 round trip that Princess so generously* arrange for the passengers.
(*Once again, that was sarcasm. You will learn to recognise it yourself soon).
The only catch is that there are so many people trying to catch public transport, that the busses turn up already overloaded and you cannot get on. If the bus driver does stop, it is only to say “full”; many of them don’t even bother stopping.
So MBW and I used our ninja skills and caught an Uber to the gondola for the princely** sum of NZD$9.15.
(**Not sarcasm. I thought that was pretty reasonable).
The view from the top of the mountain was nothing short of spectacular. Christchurch laid out in one direction with snow-capped mountains in the background, while in the other direction the port and ocean.
If I said that I enjoyed the gondola ride I’d be lying. Hanging suspended while going up a very steep climb did not fill me with a great deal of joy, and it was only worse coming down … feeling like I was only a moment from disaster. But I put my big boy pants on and pretended like I was having fun 🙂
Clearly many people from the cruise feel a similar way to us about paying $70/couple return for an $8.80/couple return trip on public transport. The busses today were packed.
We waited at the bus stop outside the gondola for a good 20 minutes until the #28 bus came along, and it was full to the gills. If you have ever wondered how sardines feel when they are put into that tin, I have a pretty good idea.
The bus was so full in fact, that after a half dozen people got out, the driver apologised that he was STILL overloaded and that we would have to wait for the next bus.
I knew how that was going to end, so we found an alternative route – thanks to the magic of Google Maps – and with just a little bit of bus hopping we got to the city in just two shakes.
Christchurch is a very pretty city with lots of green trees, grass, and a clean river (the Avon) running through the middle of town. Nothing like that disgusting brown quagmire that is the Brisbane River; the Avon is very clean and pretty.
Not much to report here I’m afraid. We walked around and looked at stuff. MBW bought a souvenir apron, we looked at street art, bought some lunch, and decided around 1.30pm that we had seen all that we were going to see, and we we didn’t want to miss the last bus back. We consulted Google Maps and we were back at the bus terminus for the trip home around 2.00pm.
We had to be back onboard the Grand Princess by 5.30pm or we’d be swimming, and given how crowded the busses were going into town, then all things being equal they would be just as bad going back to Lyttleton.
And they were.
When we found the correct bus stop, there were already 40-50 people ahead of us lined up, and when the bus arrived it was like feeding time at the zoo. People – adult people – who should have known better, were pushing and shoving and behaving like wild animals not just to get on the bus, but to get a seat … and then hogging seats for themselves and their bags.
The driver declared that he was full a little while after we got on, with MBW jagging possibly the very last seat on the bus.
Other than being squishy and hot, the drive back to port was uneventful.
We passed a primary school – a place where these poor kids were undoubtedly being taught to speak with a funny accent, and therefore being set up to be picked on for the rest of their lives for saying things like “fush and chups”.
We got back to the ship around 3.30pm, went back through security and back on board. Coffee, chocolate chip cookies (freshly baked) and then MBW announced that we needed to do some washing. Acknowledging that it hasn’t exactly been hot and sweaty weather for most of the trip, a week in the same pair of jeans is probably about the limit before a trip to the laundry is in order.
Washing into two separate machines (it was a quiet afternoon in the Level 8 laundry), and we had 25 minutes to kill before they needed time in the dryer … so back to E521 for MBW to have a bit of a read, and I managed to squeeze in a quick nap.
We have been having dinner in the Botticelli restaurant each night because it is at the back of the ship and most people seem to prefer the other venues. There are many options for meals – Horizon Court on Level 14 which is the buffet, Michelangelo and Da Vinci on Levels 6 and 7, with Botticelli on Level 5. Then there is the International Cafe mid ship Level 5 where you can get food/snacks any time of the day or night, and a pizza place on Level 6 (or level 7???).
Oh, and a burger place on Level 14 near the swimming pool.
Anyhow, the menu at all of the restaurants is the same, and there are two menus each night – the “Princess Favourites” that is available every night and the nightly specials.
So we have a standard booking for 5.40pm at Botticelli and we had dinner at a shared table with 5 others – 2 couples and a single lady.
I think that the ship’s captain must have an unhappy home life. I suspect that he isn’t allowed to speak much at home because when he gets onto the ship’s PA system to make an announcement, he just goes on, and on, and on, and on …
We heard all about the forecast weather for tomorrow, and how it is likely to be cold and windy and that we should expect inclement weather. Why say “inclement weather” when you can just say “rain”?
Blah blah blah blah blah …
There is a chance that if it gets really windy we may not be able to get into some of the upcoming ports.
Blah blah blah blah blah …
Enjoy your dinner and sorry for interrupting … That’s 10 minutes of my life I’ll never get back 🙁
After dinner we went to the Princess Theatre to see the Donna Campbell show. She was the one that did the Dolly Parton show that we saw on the P&O cruise a few weeks ago, but this time she had a different show.
She was OK. She did a better job that I could’ve done, but she just seemed to take herself too seriously. But that’s OK, it was a fun night with a few songs that you could sing along to.
We closed out the evening with coffee and a music trivia night in the Explorer’s lounge. All good fun, made better by the fact that we won a game and got a free Princess water bottle. Yay for us!!
Tonight is our last night on the South Island of NZ and overnight we head further north towards Wellington for the day tomorrow. Sailing out of Lyttleton there was a freight ship coming in. If you’ve ever wondered about the phrase ”passing like ships in the night”, hopefully this will explain it for you.
And that, as they say, is that. Bed, sleep, and do it all over again tomorrow in Wellington.
I could get used to this.
TTFN
G&KDoNZ2022