Our round the world trip (26): from Christchurch to San Francisco
Day 27 (Easter Sunday) and the Australia & New Zealand core of our trip is over but, just as we broke our outward journey in Bangkok, so we are breaking our return journey in San Francisco, so the holiday is not quite concluded. As other members of our NZ group departed for early morning flights, joy of joys, in Christchurch we were able to stay in bed until 8 am and then spend a leisurely morning alone in the city. Back in Britain, it was the start of British Summer Time but March has been the coldest since 1962. For us though, it was another pleasant day: 24C/75F.
Just over the road from the Chateau on the Park is the extensive and herbaceous Hegley Park and we strolled round this to the Canterbury Museum (built in 1870) where we had been dropped on our original arrival in the city six days ago. We spent over three hours at the museum viewing the exhibits, buying more gifts from the shop, and having a light lunch in the cafe.
We were surprised at how broad and interesting the displays were, ranging from information on the original inhabitants of the island, through material on Maori culture, to a recreation of a Victorian Christchurch street. A large, three-storey Victorian dolls house was affected by the earthquake which knocked over various tiny objects in the little rooms, but the items have been left where they fell as a record of “the big one”.
Our journey to San Francisco involved two flights. The first was a one and a half hour hop from Christchurch to Auckland (where we saw the first rain of our trip). The second was an eleven and a quarter hour haul from Auckland to SF. Both flights were with Air New Zealand, the first on a Boeing 737-300 and the second on a Boeing 747-400. As usual on long-haul flights, Roger managed to sleep reasonably well but poor Vee hardly at all.
At some point over the Pacific Ocean, we crossed the date line, so that we passed from today to yesterday – or something like that (this round the world trip is getting complicated). On our second Easter Sunday (we are confused too) , we landed at 7.05 am yesterday Auckland time but 11.05 am today in San Francisco.
It was Roger’s eighth visit to the USA and Vee’s fifth – in both cases, the last trip was less than a year ago when we were on the east coast. It was Roger’s third time in San Francisco (two months in 1970 and a week in 1980) but Vee’s first (indeed this choice of stopover was hers).
We took a taxi – driven by a guy from Eritrea – to the city and, as we drove in, it crashed with rain. We are staying at the Argonaut Hotel by Fisherman’s Wharf with a great view of Alcatraz through the window of our room. But now we need to nap ….
April 1st, 2013 at 2:18 am
Well your holiday is coming to an end and what an adventure it has been, felt like I was there with you both with your wonderful entries every day. You were blessed with great weather in both countries maybe a little to hot here in Australia. I hope you will come back one day and see some more of our beautiful country and visit us, would love to share some of our beautiful city with you both and a bit more of this wonderful state that we live in. Love to you both. Trish xo