Sunley House - Christchurch

Here we are in Christchurch again on our way north, and we are staying at a new to us Pop, Sunley House and Old Orchard in Belfast, Christchurch.  This is a pretty place, surrounded by tall trees, and the sound of cicadas is deafening!

Staying at Sunley House

Staying at Christchurch for a couple of days gave us the opportunity to catch up with son Michael again.  And I had so enjoyed our visit to Sign of the Kiwi Café on the Port Hills last time we were here, that we collected him from his home and went there for lunch on Monday.  It certainly was a long and winding drive up the road.  There were plenty of people there already there enjoying their lunches in the fresh air, and we ordered whatever took our fancy and found ourselves a table too. 

Lunch at Sign of the Kiwi

Outside in the gardens seemed an ideal place for a few photos – “Oh, Mum, not again” said Michael, rolling his eyes.  But that’s what mothers do, don't they, take family photos when they can.

Michael and his Mum

Jenny and Robin

While out and about we came across a large hollow metal ball – wonder what this is?  So we stopped to find out.  “Fanfare” was designed by sculpture Neil Dawson and was suspended from the Sydney Harbour Bridge to mark New Year in 2005.  Then it was gifted by the City of Sydney to Christchurch City in 2007.  Fanfare is 20m in diameter, 24m high and weighs 25 tonnes, and is covered in 360 steel fans, each 1.5m in diameter and each one rotated by the wind.  It certainly is a mesmerizing sight.

Fanfare, by Neil Dawson

We have decided to stay an extra night in Christchurch because of Cyclone Gabrielle wrecking havoc over the top of the North Island and Auckland.  Overnight conditions got very bad as the cyclone moved south to Taranaki, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, with many areas declaring a state of emergency.  Then earlier this morning a National State of Emergency has been declared for the whole country  – this is only the third time this has happened in the country.  With bridges washed away, roads damaged, landslips, houses flooded, people evacuated, it is a very serious situation.  Down here in the South Island, where we are currently on holiday there are heavy rain and strong wind warnings as far down as Kaikoura.  We will have to see what tomorrow brings but so far this area is not affected.