Christchurch

Last weekend we ventured South to check out Mark's new place - after seeing and hearing about it we had high expectations!  Rather fancy for a first flat / apartment place!!  Had a fabulous weekend, great food and coffee - pretty good company too - have to say it to be polite :)

Drove around the city a little - pretty hard to grasp the extend of the damage - it's just massive.

 Sunday evening we were very excited to see the gentle snow flakes fall... Locals didn't expect it to stay around, it was melting pretty quick.

 Early early Monday morning...like before 5am we were up ready to go, intending to catch the 5.40am flight back to Auckland.  Mark is a stunner at this time...

 Went outside to find...the snow had stayed, and a lot more had fallen!!  Mark was quite amused...

 The street looked beautiful at this time of morning as we hopped in the taxi...

 It wasn't until our flight had been cancelled, rebooked and cancelled again we realised that it was still snowing outside and our chances of leaving were dim...

 So another sliding slippery taxi ride back to Marks place.  The branches were gorgeous with the snow on them.

 Mark had attempted in our absence a snow man...if you can call it that...

 The school grounds next door, gorgeous field of untouched white

Portrait in the snow...was really cold, especially when flakes made their way down the back of your neck!

 A second attempt at a snow man was made - this time a little more successful.

 Then it all went bad - it was decided that he needed red herbal tea poured on his head to imitate a blood wound...

 Along with the necessary gun shot photos...rather macabre.

 So with our third flight cancelled and no chance of another flight for 48 hours we decided to get a rental Tuesday am, drive to Nelson and fly home that night!  Firstly though a little bit of snow and now ice had to be chipped off...

 Beautiful morning dawning at the airport

 Sun rising as we left Christchurch

 The day was gorgeous - made for gorgeous pictures of the mountains and snow...

 Loads of warning signs about ice, which there was a bit of, but quicker than waiting in Christchurch!

 Then we struck Murchison and it was just bleak, grey and frosty...

We got to Nelson and had a great afternoon there, catching up on Mums plans for the house, lunch out and tea with David & Stacey.  Worked perfectly as we got to see Isaac again also!  So 48 hrs later than expected we got home and fortunately the car parking place didn't charge us any extra for our car which was stuck there!

Just be careful of that Christchurch place....