Smelling the roses ....... After enjoying being thoroughly spoilt by Judy, Anton and Tayla in Melbourne - thank you for all the good food, Lambrusco, JoJo Juice (to be tried in Cape Town !), comfortable room, chauffeur service and music festivals - we have now landed in Christchurch for the start of our New Zealand adventure. The country of the great white cloud was kind enough to let us have an unobstructed view on our flight in of the Southern Alps, the Glaciers and blue crystal lakes. Just awesome !!!!! Having been told by most of my family and friends to take the time to smell the roses ....that is exactly what I did today in the Christchurch Botanical Garden. A traditional rose garden to die for .....the colours only outdone by the fragrances. And....as I am a tree-hugger of note .....literally (is supposed to get you back into sync and leave you grounded).....I was totally overwhelmed by the incredible variety of huge and beautiful trees. Unfortunately the earthquake scars are still to be seen everywhere. Large parts of the city, especially the city centre, are still closed off. Huge office blocks, hotels, small historical houses and so many churches are standing empty. Couldn 't work out whether they will still be demolished or repaired. The logistics of the aftermath of the quake must have been overwhelming. The patriotism of the citizens of Christchurch is remarkable though ....and the labyrinth in the botanical garden makes one so aware of this. All the stones of the labyrinth have been painted by schoolchildren...who all reiterate the slogans one sees all over town....hope for the future and the people of Christchurch standing strong to rebuild their city. The ingenuity of the people has already come to the fore - with a container mall and a pallet event venue making a positive statement. This is what Christchurch will be remembered for by me. The comment that to spend 1 night in Christchurch is more than enough is perhaps a bit unfair. The scars of the quake are great, but there is still lots to see and experience. It feels familiar here - especially as everything is very english - although perhaps in a bit of a time warp, and people have generally been really pleasant and friendly....always appreciated when one is travelling. And here we are ...seeing the huge yellow full moon exactly 12 hours before it rises in SA...such a weird feeling. See you later (which even the customs official said ! I was going to say :"Really?! Where?!) Heike & Clint