Adventures Down Under - New Zealand and Australia

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Tyler

Miss Demeanor
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A couple of years ago, my friend from the UK, Sally, had mentioned wanting to do a trip/ride to New Zealand. That definitely got my interest and I said I'd be interested as well. We had tried to plan it for 2014 but things didn't come together so we got seriousand put it on the calendar for February 2015.

There seemed to be trouble afoot that might derail the trip but we soldiered through them and set the dates. On Wednesday, February 11, I boarded a plane from SFO to Auckland and then a connecting flight to Christchurch where our journey would begin. Sally got there a couple of days before me and had cased the place for my arrival. The Cricket World Cup was going on in town and we were very lucky to find a hotel room before we left.

I don't sleep well on planes,if at all, but I managed to doze a bit and was holding my own when I arrived. Sally was out shopping (she had left her riding jacket behind on the plane ride over) and returned triumphant with a new jacket. Our bikes would be delivered later that day so we decided to head into Christchurch to do some sightseeing.

There had been a huge earthquake in 2011 causing much damage and the city is undergoing massive transformation and construction. In an effort to keep their fair city attractive, there was art everywhere to brighten up the views in very creative ways.
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A sobering and moving art exhibit - 185 Empty Chairs by Peter Manjendie... each one represents a life lost in the 2011 earthquake...
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Taking a break on whimsical sidewalk furniture... for those that remember the show Laugh In, I couldn't help but think of Edith Anne... and that's the truththththththththththth...
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We took the city tram to get a feel for the city and stopped here and there to look around at different spots...
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The tram picks up and drops off as it rolls right through a shopping center among other places...
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We stopped for lunch at Re- Start, a retail space consisting of brightly-colored painted shipping containers which provide a temporary home for businesses that lost their addresses in the earthquake...
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And walked over to the Transitional Cathedral (aka the Cardboard Cathedral), a temporary home of worship due to the damage incurred to the original Cathedral, designed by architect Shigeru Ban who has been characterized as a "disaster architect." Materials used include 24"-diameter cardboard tubes, timber and steel. The roof is of polycarbon with eight shipping containers forming the walls. The architect wanted the cardboard tubes to be the structural elements, but local manufacturers could not produce tubes thick enough and importing the cardboard was rejected. The 96 tubes, reinforced with laminated wood beams, are "coated with waterproof polyurethane and flame retardants" with two-inch gaps between them so that light can filter inside. Instead of a replacement rose window, the building has triangular pieces of stained glass.
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Seems there was some work going on as a couple of gents were hanging about in the rafters...
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This is what the original Cathedral looks like and is undergoing renovations...
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Straps in place to make sure the angel doesn't fall over... I've had days like that...
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On our way back to the hotel, we encountered a giant chess board and a game appeared to be afoot...
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When we arrived back at our hotel, Wayne from Paradise Motorcycle Tours had arrived with our trusty steeds that would take us out on the road... the excitement was really building now!
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We were treated to a bbq that evening at some new Kiwi friends who lived nearby. Around 8pm, I started fading so we went back to the hotel to get some rest for the start of our great Down Under Adventure!!

Stay tuned! :)

 
Tyler, imagine me as the two guys that did the Wayne's World skits on SNL. I'm on my knees and bowing to the Queen of Ride Reports.

I'M NOT WORTHY!! I'M NOT WORTHY!! Keep them coming, Baby! :D

 
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