On our second day in Christchurch, we were up bright-and-early and in for a special treat as we headed to breakfast at C1 Espresso Café. Innovative in design and eco-focused, this quirky café, owned and established in 1996 by Sam Crosfkey, was destroyed during the earthquake and has since been rebuilt to perfection. Apart from boasting the best coffee and tea selection in town, we were blown away by Sam’s unique invention called the ‘pneumatic tube’. The cafe is adorned with clear tubes which run along the wooden walls, high ceilings and down alongside each table. The tube which delivers sliders in an aluminium pneumatic tube at the speed of 100km/h had us feeling as though we were extras Back to The Future. Within minutes we had ordered a tube of fries and just moments later, we turned around to see it zoom over our head. Genius!
After sitting and devouring almost everything on the menu, it was time to burn off those calories. A cycle through the city with Christchurch Bike Tours was just what the doctor ordered. Now unlike the fitness gurus of Bondi Beach who cruise along in their fancy new-age bikes effortlessly, we forgot how difficult it was to ride a bike again! But with a little practice and a lot of giggles, we were on our way. Our tour guide cycled alongside us and explained which buildings and areas had been affected by the quake as well as Christchurch’s plans for the reconstruction of their beautiful city. We cycled at an easy pace which allowed for the girls to get the goss on the latest celebrities, take endless selfies and absorb every moment. Street art sprawled alongside buildings which had been destroyed and offered a new-found beauty that had us mesmerised. The Wedded Wonderland favourite was ‘the ballerina’.
Now if you haven’t heard of punting (we hadn’t) it’s something you MUST do with your girlfriends, especially after a physical activity like bike-riding. Christchurch’s Punting on the Avon introduced us to the world of punting – and no, there’s wasn’t a gamble or horse-race in sight. A punt is a flat bottomed boat with a square-cut bow design designed for use in shallow water. The punter generally propels the punt by pushing against the river bed with a pole. A punt should not be confused with a gondola, which is propelled by an oar rather than a pole.
This is the perfect way to relax and relax we did! Sinking back into the velvet cushions and covered by a warm, soft blanket, the girls and I got to enjoy the willows and leafy banks of the stunning Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
And just when we thought we couldn’t fit any more into the day, Canterbury and Christchurch Tourism offered us something a little different. Introducing Paint’n’Sip, an activity that combines painting, wine and friends! We were given a choice of artworks to recreate and although many of us are by no means natural artists, we still had an absolute ball creating our own masterpieces.
After a fun-filled day of laughter and adventure in Christchurch it was time to call it a night and head back to our super luxe rooms at The Hotel Montreal and prepare for another girly day in New Zealand.
