To enable Benjamin got to look around Christchurch we decided to make the drive there on the 9th, before his flight on the 10th. very scenic journey and as soon as we entered ChCh of course the eyes were peeled for signs of earthquake damage. We weren't looking long. Collapsed churches, shopfronts fallen off, buildings in utter ruins. Many zones have already been cleared but 2 months on the city centre is still completely sectioned off. Scary stuff!
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| First Signs of The Earthquake |
In typical traveller style by complete fluke we happened upon a guy who has converted his garage into a place to shelter backpackers. Known as "The Magic Garage" it is a VERY cool hangout reminiscant of childhood dream clubhouses with sofas, tv, bunk beds and for some peculiar reason an electric organ. We had a long evening of card games and poker to mark Ben's leaving and actually experienced a small earthquake aftershock! Not a damage causer but still freaky enough when you're in bed and the room beings shaking following a low grumbling sound like a train coming closer. Especially when you're not exactly sleeping in the sturdiest of buildings!
Benjamin left earlyish the next morning, so after a brief goodbye and straight back into bed Jens and I had a rather nice lie in... me in particular being the more lazy getting breakfast in bed at about 2pm. Thankyou Jens! I left the next day but not before we had discovered the real reason for the aptly named 'Magic Garage'. Turns out our landlord had a growing house right next door. Which explains why his house tenants were able to be permanently stoned. We knew there was something fishy about this guy, we had all said it!
Being a massive luck Jew it only took me three hitches to get from Christchurch to Dunedin where I managed to sneak a lift off Monique back to Roxburgh to get my life in order!
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