Lyttleton and Southshore Beach

 Lyttleton Harbour

 Southshore Beach

 The tram inside the plaza.

Tuesday, January 19^th.

Again I had no plans. The weather had improved and although it was overcast at least it wasn't raining or drizzling. So I decided to walk back downtown to the central bus station. I found a bus going to Lyttleton, the town I tried unsuccessfully to walk to yesterday, so I decided to go there. The ride took me through some nice suburbs and a long tunnel through the hills I climbed over yesterday. When we exited the tunnel there was the town. It is a small town surrounding the port of Christchurch. There were ferry boats, container ships and a cruise ship. I noticed a steep hill going up the hill to the right and figured that was towards Sumner. I walked up there and discovered that this was the same road I had tried to hike, but at this end they were still shoring up the damage from the earthquake. I hiked back down to the bus stop and decided to head back as there was nothing to do here.

When I got back to the central bus station I boarded the bus to Southshore where I had heard there was a beach. After a half hour ride we arrived at the beach and the Southshore Pier. The bus turned right and drove another three or four kilometres to the end of the long sandbar. I got off the bus and crossed over the sand dunes and then walked back to pier. The sea had some good surf but there was no one around except a few birds. The beach was very clean and the only refuse on the beach was natural and there was no evidence of garbage or pollution from people. The weather was cloudy and a bit drizzly but as I walked it stopped and cleared and I took off my raincoat, then my sweater. As I got closer to the pier there were more people on the beach and I could watch some surfers from the pier. Then I caught the bus back again.

I walked around downtown and decided to take the tourist city tour tram. Since this was the last run of the day the driver charged me half price, ten dollars. The tram was beautiful and the tour informative. I got off at the end stop and decided to walk through Christchurch's major city park, Hagley's Park. I walked through the botanical gardens, watched a running event and found about twenty grass tennis courts.

Then I walked back to the hotel. I spent the rest of the evening packing and organizing for my flight tomorrow.