Across the Ditch for a Birthday.

[Matt_01]

I would not normally write a TR for a trip to NZ however I thought I may throw a few photos together as we are headed back to Christchurch nearly a decade on. I cannot find the photos from 2011 but have some from 2017.

 

[Matt_01]

So starting from ADL our international options are limited, however over the past few years we have headed to NZ for MrsM"s birthday which coincides with the ADL/ MEL long weekend in Mar. This year with a flip of the coin CHC won and with a few points up my sleeve it was SYD-CHC EK in F. The trip was booked a year out but I did not tell MrsM about it and called in a couple of favors to gain access to the other ADL lounge
. View attachment 208409

 

[Matt_01]

Aircraft food

The same SYD hotel views

 

[Matt_01]

The next day some other familiar views.

 

[Matt_01]

On the way to the land of the long white cloud

 

[Matt_01]

We stayed at the Novotel

2017

2020

2017

2020

2017

2020

 

[Matt_01]

2017

2020

2017

2020

2017



2020

 

[Pushka]

So starting from ADL our international options are limited, however over the past few years we have headed to NZ for MrsM"s birthday which coincides with the ADL/ MEL long weekend in Mar. This year with a flip of the coin CHC won and with a few points up my sleeve it was SYD-CHC EK in F. The trip was booked a year out but I did not tell MrsM about it and called in a couple of favors to gain access to the other ADL lounge
.View attachment 208385 View attachment 208389View attachment 208387 View attachment 208386 View attachment 208390 View attachment 208391View attachment 208392 View attachment 208409

Is that THE Qantas lounge us mere mortals just look at the closed Doors?

Lucky Ms Matt! Nice surprise.

 

[Matt_01]

In the evening went to Inati it was quite good and most of the meals are for sharing apart from a few tables most people are seated in a way that you can watch the kitchen at work.

We are not very good at taking food photos

Fizz to start

Sweetcorn panna cotta, verjuice and truffle

Charred broccoli stem, smoked ricotta and almonds

Curried cauliflower, salted grapes and capers - we forgot to take a before shot, sorry. It was good

Boeuf-nuts

Fermented tomato, poached fish and walnut

Blueberries, white chocolate and dill

All washed down with some rose.

 

[Major]

Nice Fizz

 

[OZDUCK]

The 2017/2020 photos are very interesting - some heartening changes since we were there in 2014.

 

[Matt_01]

Wandering around.

The earthquake memorial

 

[Matt_01]

The botanical gardens

 

[Matt_01]

Some shots of the museum.


Squarkzilla

 

[Matt_01]

The Arts Center

 

[Matt_01]

And some more random photos


Photos from Quake City. I saw jaws like these in action in 2017 taking apart a building.

These were some items that were constructed from the house reuse program.

 

[Matt_01]

The AFF catch up was on so we were going that as well. The dinner was at Bloody Marys and it was a good night. I forgot to take photos so here is the link with some taken by others. CHC Dinner Saturday 7th March 2020

 

[Matt_01]

Final day and a bit more wandering around.

 

[Matt_01]

Last place we went to was the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, MrsM was on mission to see a real Kiwi (the bird type) we did get to see one in the enclosure but it was hard to find. Anyhow a few snaps of other animals.

 

[Matt_01]

And then it was time to come home. Settling in.

Leaving

Getting ready to eat.