Still not convinced…

I had only seen the city center so far and it wasn‘t for me. Fair enough. Time to explore the outskirts of Christchurch: Barnett Park (apparently, there’s a cave somewhere, but thanks to a rubbish GPS signal and three different hikes, I never found it…), Victoria Park, and Sumner Beach.

More rain! That never helps make a good impression of a place. But I was farther from the city and enjoyed seeing more nature, which is always a win. Still, I stand by what I said—New Zealand has far more to offer. I used the word sobering before, and my opinion hasn’t changed, unfortunately.

While trying to find a parking space at Barnett Park, my first stop, I suddenly spotted a car that had rolled downhill—airbags out, doors open. I pulled over and walked toward it, but there was no one inside. Odd. A little later, another car approached (the only one I saw in two hours) and stopped. The driver smirked and asked if the crashed car was mine. I said no and expressed my concern. He just shrugged and said not to worry—it had been there for a while, and someone must have pushed it downhill. Great. Worried for no reason. :D But that was enough excitement for me.

Other highlights of the day: A dog so happy to see me that I would have taken it home if its owner hadn’t popped up a second later. A cool building near Victoria Park. Huh. That sounded like it was going to be a list.

But things were looking up toward the end of the day! The hostel hosted a Paint and Sip night, which I gladly signed up for. And I finally got to drink an Aperol! Not the most important part of the night, of course. (Or was it? :D) I met seven new people, and with some wine (+ Aperol), painting, and good conversation, the night was shaping up well. Our assignment: Flightless Birds. After lively chit-chat at the beginning, the room went silent as everyone focused intensely, only interrupted by occasional laughs of desperation. What a variety of paintings! It‘s always fascinating to see how people come up with their very own interpretation and what can be achieved in only two hours.

P.S. My painting may reflect my deep yearning for cute penguins, given my thus-far unsuccessful penguin hunt. I also enjoyed the chicken painting and the Bob Ross-inspired sunset featuring a mummy penguin and her steroid-abusing chick (the artist’s words, not mine). :DRead more