Christchurch

A slightly turbulent approach to the city yesterday, holding the hand of a nervous flyer, Christine, parting as friends by the end of a 90 minute flight from north to South Island.

I was driven by Tony, a lone passenger in his shuttle, to Addington railway station where my cousin Boo was picking me up. This station must rank as one of the most comfortable anywhere in the globe - seats like sofas you could lay down and sleep upon, no people to disturb your slumber, not a soul in sight until a girl came through a door from ‘the back’ when I’d been there ten minutes. She looked profoundly shocked to see someone.

I was here in 2015, four years after the big earthquake when morale was low. Talking to Tony and also with Boo and her partner David, the mood is generally much more optimistic now. Their house was demolished about seven years ago and although the footprint is the same, they naturally made improvements to the design of the building and the house is beautiful with stunning views of both city and mountains.