It's really unfortunate for NZ right now particularly Christchurch. Two earthquakes in just five months time and both was megascale. Barely enough time to recover when mother earth strikes again. I had the opportunity to visit Christchurch and stayed there overnight during my trip to NZ about a year ago. We stayed at a Malaysian's house. She's an engineer pursuing PHD there and lives with her three kids (I think it was three. Or maybe four?). Her husband works in Dubai. She's really one of the kindest person we met there. Not only offering the warmth of her house and homecooked meals, she also packed us some food for our road trip. Then she kindly let us leave behind some of the bulky luggages in her house which we could pick up a week later when we've finished touring south island and it's time to leave NZ. I wonder how is she and her family doing right now.

This is the alley beside her house. Look how clean it is. 

Christchurch square.

Wani told me this is where Yusri KRU and Erra runs towards each other's embrace in Cinderella the movie. Really? I haven't watch the movie.  

Shamefully the only sightseeing and photo taking we did in Christchurch was here because we were too busy hogging the souvenir shop. Plus we arrived there quite late and the next morning we were on the road again very early. But while cruising around the town in the car, lost and looking for shops, I did notice the beautiful gardens, the river in the city where you can row a boat and the antique bridge we got on to cross the river. The modern and old buildings and the unique tramway. In simple word: Beautiful. Otherwise it wouldn't be called 'The Garden City'.