Had a full english breakfast in an italian cafe to start my day :-) and then went on a wander round the botanical gardens (in search of a art gallery on the other side of the park but couldn't find it - very poor signage!) then back into town and a tour on the tram. Visited the arts centre which was just fab and of course ended up buying myself something (beautiful large purple agate bead to go on a necklace) then over the road to the canterbury museum which was also very entertaining (lots of stuffed birds and the traditional egyptian gallery - is there such a thing as a museum without one? - plus a great olde world shop street full of the social history collection including a corset and fur shop that Em would have happily bought all of!). Then a bit of a historic building tour of Christchurch - its similar to Bristol - horrific concrete blocks interspersed with beautiful historic buildings! Its all very english including the punting on the river avon, during my tour I have even replicated (unintentionally) the photo above!

Climbed the cathedral spire for great views of the city (my thighs are still complaining at stairs!) and grabbed coffee and cake before a quick trip back to the hostel. Am going to go to the Art Gallery this evening (late opening till 9pm) and dinner at some point before an early night as I have a 6am pick up to meet the 7am train to Picton before a ferry into Wellington! Although I'm almost (ALMOST) not thinking about work! Just got to email Jenny and get her to order my protein standards.....

The art gallery was heaven (well for me and my love of galleries and museums!) there was an exhibition of an NZ artist called Rita Angus (also for a while Rita Cook) whose work just captured the amazing light on the Canterbury plains that i'd seen from the train the day before. Mum would just love it (I'd have bought the catalogue but it was so heavy it would have cost the same price as the catalogue to post it home! so i may just try and find it online when i get back)

then went for beautiful italian food with my pasta and veg cravings suitably sated along with my need for sorbet (blood orange is my new favourite flavour although i was less keen on the plum - too sweet) also laughed at the brits teaching the kiwis on the next table various aspects of british culture (pikeys) generally behaving like butch morons and then ordering girls drinks at the end of dinner (JD&coke and baileys collectively - even the waitress laughed at them!) but that early start is looming...