After several departures this morning (parents to Sydney for a wedding, Hannah & Dave to work), the remaining trio of me, Will and Alex settled on the veranda for a nice spot of breakfast. After a quick debate about available options, we jumped in the car and drove to Christchurch. Driving in NZ is mostly similar to the UK, as people drive on the left. One small difference – irrespective of the direction of traffic (including oncoming), drivers give way to cars turning right…

In Christchurch we visited the cathedral, entering into a long debate about cathedrals with two ladies at the entrance. At their suggestion, we climbed to the top, which included a hair raising 134 steps up the steeple. Going up was less of an issue than coming down – Will wasn’t a huge fan, but he did get a certificate at the end, which went some way to calming him down.

After this, and a quick tour of the market, we sat down to watch one of Christchurch’s famous buskers. Much crowd participation. A pretty dismal display fire-eating. And a cautious attempt at juggling a live chainsaw. It was fairly dire, but Will loved it.

We are now back at Dave’s and heading off to the beach for a quick paddle in the canoe. It’s a tough life…