Banks Peninsula

I’ve just returned from a three day weekend in Christchurch. It’s my third trip across the Tasman in a single month. Definitely a personal record, one I doubt I’ll ever repeat. Why a third time?

Sadly my mother’s older brother, Uncle Rich, passed away last week after a brief illness. His death was caught everyone by surprise. Unlike my mother, Dick was still living semi-independently and was relatively high functioning despite the onset of dementia in more recent years.

I got wind of his sudden illness while in Queenstown a week ago. He died the day after I returned to Sydney. After some reflection, I decided to cross the Tasman again and attend his funeral. I wanted to honour the effort everyone made attending Mum’s funeral a year ago, while extending support to Auntie Pam, Mum’s older sister, who’s lost two siblings in a single year.

My decision was made easier thanks to a super cheap airfare. I was able to cash in some frequent flyer points and fly to Christchurch for less than $270. I also scored a great hotel deal via Amex, plus a discounted rental car for the weekend. Lo and behold I found myself back in the Qantas First Class lounge at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning.

My flight landed shortly after 1:30pm. Within an hour I was in my rental car and heading for the city. I decided to make the most of the final hours of sunlight (sunset was at 5:05pm) and headed straight for the Port Hills. I drove up to the Summit Road, taking time to stop and admire the view along the way.

I delighted to arrive in time to catch the sun’s final rays illuminating Lyttelton as it was engulfed by the afternoon shadows. Chatteris Bay looked stunning. Although a chilling wind left me shivering and I all but lost sensation in my hands. I then drive to Pam’s for private catch up before finally checking into my hotel.

Sunday dawned bright and clear, albeit with cold and crisp temperatures. I decided to make the most of my free day. After a hearty breakfast I drove out to Akaroa, stopping first for a brisk stroll a long the shore at Birdling Flats beach, the arcing spit that separates Lake Ellesmere from the Pacific Ocean. 

I’m so glad stopped at the spit. It’s an incredible geographical formation. Much to my surprise I discovered the broad beach and expansive dunes consist entirely of smooth oval gravel pebbles. Incredibly they’ve all come from the Southern Alps, swept down to the coast by the braided Rakaia River, about 40km down the coast. Their smooth and rounded appearance reflects their origin as rubble ground smooth by glaciers grinding their way through the alps.

Akaroa was the same quaint town I vaguely remember from my last visit more than 30 years ago. I stopped to wander the village waterfront and was lucky enough to find its relocated lighthouse open to visitors. A volunteer guide inside the lighthouse showed me how its light was kept rotating by a falling weight that was rewound by hand crank every couple of hours. 

The lighthouse was completed in 1879. However, its current location inside Akaroa Harbour is not its original home. It once stood 10km away on the wind-swept Akaroa Heads, at the entrance to the harbour. In 1980, after a new automated lighthouse was commissioned, it was dismantled into three sections, relocated and rebuilt.

I finished my tour of the Banks Peninsula was a road trip that took along the Akaroa Summit Road, before crossing to the opposite coast via Gebbies Pass. I drove through Governors Bay and Cass Bay as the sun was setting before returning to town via the Lyttelton tunnel. I then joined Pam’s children and grandchildren for a family dinner. The return journey was simply breathtaking. I lost count of how often I stopped to admire the view and take another Instagram worthy photo.

Early Monday morning I collected my brother Matt from the airport (shortly after 6:00am). We drove back to my hotel to enjoy breakfast. We a few hours to kill before the funeral we decided to ride the gondola up the Port Hills for more stunning views. Ironically I’d climb a knoll next to gondola’s summit station on Saturday without realising the building was there. Once again the wind was bitterly cold. However, once again Chateris Bay glowed in the sunlight. 

The gondola’s base station was right next to the mouth of the Lyttelton tunnel. Hence, we decided to drive through to the town for a quick look. I was keen to see the remnants of the town’s iconic Timeball Station. The original structure was destroyed by an earthquake in 2011. Its ball tower has subsequently been reconstructed. 

We finished our morning with a scenic drive along the coast to Sumner, then returned to my hotel to prepare for Dick’s funeral. The remainder of the afternoon was taken up by the service, and a reception later, before we all retired to cousin Nicki’s home for a light supper. The service bought back fond memories of my childhood and a few sad moments reflecting again on my mother’s death last year.

I took Matt and my cousin, Roanne, to the airport about 6:15pm and returned to my hotel for an early night. My flight on Tuesday morning departed at the ungodly hour of 6:00am. As a result, my alarm woke me shortly after 3:00am. I was back at home in Sydney by 9:00am.

It was lovely catching up with family again. I also enjoyed getting outdoors and soaking up some stunning scenery. It was the perfect anecdote for a stressful start to the year. Sadly, our business is struggling in the current economic climate. As a result, most days can feel like a bit of a slog. A little escapism was just what the doctor ordered.