Christchurch

We landed in Christchurch yesterday. After a good night's sleep, everyone is feeling a bit better. (Actually, those of us who haven't had surgery recently are doing great, other than being concerned about those who have.)

Today started with a trip to the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center) to get all of the extreme weather gear we'll be taking with us. I'm fortunate to have a veteran like Patrick along since this really smooths the way for me! When I had to exchange some clothing items for different types better suited for the work I'll be doing, they said "You're with Patrick, right? He told us you'd need these." and they already had stuff ready and waiting for me! I was surprised to find my parka weighs about 15 lbs., but was excited to see that the thick soles of my boots make me about five inches taller! (Oh yeah, I'm 5'9" now!) I'm going to conveniently ignore the fact that everyone else will be wearing thick-soled boots, so it won't end up mattering.

There were a few others there also getting their gear: an electrician named Ben, a self-declared "logistics guy," whose name I didn't catch, a "balloonologist" (using infrared telescope via a high altitude balloon) named Steve, a biologist named Reed and his 4 grad students, and a very talkative woman doing outreach for school kids. She was the sort of person who never shut up the entire time we were there, but I couldn't help liking her anyways. She, two of the grad students, and I had a blast parading around in the dressing room, wearing our absurdly large gear and laughing at each other as we tried to walk but only managed to waddle.

I spent the afternoon exploring Christchurch itself. As with most places I visit, I'm ready to move here. The weather is great - average of 22C (~70F) in the summer and 11C (~50F) in the winter - couldn't be better as far as I'm concerned. I find that Christchurch is reminescent of Sydney in that there are gardens and "mini-gardens" everywhere. It's so beautiful, and I think that we don't have enough of an appreciation for gardens in the US. Unfortunately, grass still reigns supreme.

Of course, this post wouldn't be complete without some comments on the ongoing recovery from the 2010 Canterbury earthquake, which devastated the city center. (FYI: It is not currently possible to access Cathedral Square outside of a guided tour (not my thing) due to ongoing reconstruction, so I will have no pictures for you, now or later, of that area.) I never had the pleasure of seeing the city prior to the quake, but even so, it was sad to see so many beautiful buildings that had been damaged or destroyed. That being said, I was encouraged and inspired by the rebuilding efforts. Many businesses continued to operate out of the (presumably) safe portions of a building while other portions were being repairs. "Yes, we are Open" signs are very common. Of particular interest is a shopping area called "Re:START." This is adjacent to the central bus station, and is intended as a temporary substitute for the city center. Around 20 stores, coffee shops, and restaurants are being operated out of a group of dolled-up metal storage containers. They have programs/stations in that area called "Gap Measures" which are supposed to attract the artsy vibe and street performances that I'm told were characteristic of Cathedral Square. For example, I encountered a dance floor in an empty lot, complete with huge speakers, a disco ball and tables made from decorated cable spools. I thought this area, and the idea of making a temporary (or maybe not?) mall out of cargo containers, was quite bold and admirable. I wonder whether, for all of our pride in our own spirit of innovation in the US, we would have chosen a path like that to carry in the face of a similar disaster?

Okay, that's it for today. It's time to repack my bags for tomorrow's flight!