Perfect weekend?

The combination of events that played out from Friday to Monday, both in and around Christchurch, made it one of the best weekends of my time in Christchurch.

Always mindful of the moon and it’s phases I headed out Friday afternoon to Sumner beach to await moon rise and hope for a nice sunset. The bike over was lovely and exhilarating, even into the wind I felt quick and fast as I lept from stop lights and sprinted over the bridge and along the coast. I first wandered the cave at Sumner, noting the play of sunlight and water as it rushed back and forth. I then alternated between kite flying in the light sea breeze, contact juggling, and juggling the pink volleyball I brought from the flat. The pale blue shadow of my sphere rolled over soft sand that caressed toes and retained the warmth of day.

As I waited with slack kite lines for the breeze to resume I noticed some folks setting up a volleyball net. I wandered over, kicking and juggling the volleyball. They had three little kids with them as well, two boys and a spirited girl. We got the net firmly anchored and soon began to play. The youngins would serve occasionally and the girl joined a bit more (though she was also involved in a sand throwing war with one of the guys). Fun relaxed game as the sun went behind Mt Pleasant (a bit of rosy cloud but nothing spectacular). The kids were getting tired and as dusk progressed we parted ways and hoped to meet again.

I had noticed a gaggle of young folks arrive with shovels and now went over to see what they were doing. I sat down with one of the girls looking on and conversed for a bit. They were a youth group originally come to make sand castles, instead they had made two deep pits and connected them with a tunnel. I shared my story and tossed the disk with some of the others. They unfortunately decided to destroy their tunnel and fill in their holes ‘for the safety of other beach goers.’ I thought this a shame but helped stomp on the tunnel and kick sand in the pit. They then went on their way. As I walked back to my things one of the boys ran out to me and asked if I needed a ride or place to stay. I clarified that I had a flat and had biked out, if they had room for a bike I might come but I was fine biking so dont worry about it. Very sweet kindness to receive. He ran back and I turned back towards the sea with a smile: the rising moon there broadened my smile as it shimmered in the waves. My bike back was a joy, even if it was cooler; swift exertion while waving at passerby and cars with a large smile.

~

As a fundraiser for earthquake victims and a thank you to all those who volunteered and assisted in the aftermath of the earthquake a festival of sorts had been organized for Saturday. A line up of kiwi bands were set to amuse the crowds from morning tell dark. I brought my toys and some lunch. I wandered Hagley park looking for a slackline but found none. So I went to the back of the crowed where the sound was fine and I also had enough space to get my kite out. But first I stopped where a disk was flying to meet a girl from boulder keen to climb and play Frisbee. We tossed for awhile, with some of the adolescent too cool kiwi kids joining in from time to time (trying not to enjoy it too much).

Danach I got my kite out and it’s swooping dives and tacks soon drew a gaggle of children leaping and chasing after it, my dives became more and more risky until at last a kid caught the kite (or did I fly it into him... ^.^) . It was soon relaunched and the ordeal repeated until the wind abated and I could no longer keep the kite from their clutches. Then they wanted to try and fly and when a bit of wind puffed I gave them a go. Two of the kids were twins and I had trouble telling them apart, another was very keen on punching me in the balls, not so nice. They all got a turn at the kite, with varying success and a few scenes of brotherly love.

I then left the kite to juggle a soccer ball a bit with some kiwis and then wander off to see if I found anyone I knew. I ran into Tom and his flatties and settled down to eat some lunch. A group of pissed kiwis near us was making some human pyramids and I decided to go partake. No kneeling pyramids here, we were doing it like the Chinese: standing on each others shoulders. We got three on the base to support one, then two. And then got four on the base to support two and three. Finally we got four-three-one! Three men tall we stood for a bit until balance was lost or one of the base collapsed and then we all fell down without incident.

Back with Tom and company we get out the Frisbee and toss around, tom keeps missing his throws and almost hitting people. All the while I’m getting festive and jumping, dancing about like a fool. A gaggle of girls comes charging by as a dancing phalanx, and then surrounds me and we dance and move. The song ends and they want me to lead a dancing phalanx to the front. I tell them to start it and I’ll join in and help recruit. A few minutes later they come by, I join in, and they fall back and force me to the front - oh well. Party on! I continue and call others forth to join the line while leading those behind in ridiculous moves. We go by the kids I’d seen earlier and they join in. The girls are year nines so I try and encourage the young lads to make the most of this opportunity to impress the ladies. Fun leading - dancing- performing. The kids follow me back to my friends and soon they are jumping all over them as well. We spin em around and wrestle and throw the Frisbee, and then dance when the girls show up - er dance more since I was always dancing. Oh and avoiding getting punched by that one boy... At last I carry the kids over to their parents as a ‘special delivery’ and run off before they can catch me again. Dusk is falling and my friends and I move up to the front for the lat songs where we mosh around and I dance my hair out. Cashel street I am waiting...

~

The moon is red as it rises over the city and I amble home to sweet dreams before an early morning. I meet Tom back at his place where we get a ride with Darren, Emily, kyle and Jon into Arthur's Pass. Tom and I tackle Avalanche peak to make use of our rented snow gear while the rest go on to otihake hot pools (and get eaten by sandflies! Hua-haha,haa). Steep but easy four hour climb to the summit. Coming out of the bush (you wont believe it but it was actually THIN bush: dry and slightly less than lush) was great and offered sweet views of the falls across the valley: devils punch bowl and Bridal Vail Falls. We get our ice axes out more for good form than out of necessity for the last hundred meters of the ridge. The ridge drops sharply right with dramatic rocks and gullies. The snow covered peaks farther west and a small glacier their draw our gazes from the trail at our feet. We gain the summit and some tens of minutes later the clouds begin to obstruct our view and then drift about us. But not before we eat lunch and some Keas (only alpine parrot in the world) show up to see what they can get. We joke about

one of them steeling an ice axe and then while I’m rummaging in my pack one grabs my big jar of peanut butter and soars off with his mate in tow crying ‘kea’ in triumph. Incredulous Tom watched the whole affair occur within a meter of him with his camera in hand... Useless! We slowly and nonchalantly make our way down, tom now having recovered form the previous nights beverages which he managed to keep down. The cloud never blankets us but the light gets dull and the views less magnificent - or not. We wander down the road in the village with thumbs out stretched, looking for a good spot to hitch from but without much thought. As we’re debating a sudden end in the side walk and whether it should continue up the little hill in front of us a car pulls up and lo we have a ride!

Und sind Deutscher! Girls without much of a destination, got a cheap rental car in picton and trying to drive and see a lot. I encourage them to take their time and stop frequently as we continue through Arthur's pass. They take my advice and lucky for us all the weather cleared and they got out to see the Waimakariri river bathed in sun. Gorgeouse vistas of blue water braided through the stones, tall mountains mountains rising steeply from the flat valley, and the receding snow line still sheathing the high peaks about the divide up-valley. Some cloud is about but coming into castle hill the sky above clears and we encourage the girls to stop and see the magical place. I show them some spots including a scramble past the nook pictured right to the top of a boulder and a high vantage. Then we wander about, Tom finds some cool little problems for me to try in my tramping boots. Margret has climbing shoes but no experience so we dont bother with the easy climbs I know and just make up our own little scrambles instead. And soon we just move, hold and, Dance on the rocks. Sweet new vision through which to interact with the stones. Dusk is coming, so we move out, scrambling down a neat shoot and tunnel. The sky meanwhile is under invasion, cumulolentuculars of a soft orange pink have moved in saucer like. Our departure from magic rock is delayed a bit longer: we walk slower (past the cows) to lengthen our exposure to the magical stacks of pancakes, floating above the giant mountains of scree.

Night descended and I describe the bland countryside on the strait shot to Christchurch from Springfield - barring two slight curves, sorry. On the left we have what used to be pine forest and has been recently cleared and reseeded for cattle grazing, on the right giant hedges of the invasive gorse, on the left an asparagus stand I still haven't stopped at, more hedges, oh and you might see a hawk circling - if it wasn’t night. We drop off tom, and I get my bike and race off to guide them to my place - they clock me in their car and said I was going over 40kmh. We share food and make a yummy stir fry with beetroot and watercress adding to more common place veggies and with a peanut and coconut base. Enjoy some wine, tell stories, yack in German, share plans. Lots of smiles, and chocolate too,I finish the night adding some finishing touches to some sketches. The two get up early to experience as much of the drive up the east

coast to Picton as possible. Margret makes a yummy oatmeal and some tea which we enjoy before parting. Unfortunately Margret’s sleeping bag was discovered shortly thereafter under one of the couches. Luckily I had thier phone number, but it was off. I packed it up and sent it the following day up to aukland for her to pick up there. I do hope she still got to do the Tongariro crossing in spite of missing her bag.

The rest of Monday was precious as well, with lectures done and study week begun I had the day to myself and began by running errands at a leisurely pace. Saddly I forgot to bring a bag to the grocery store and as I was riding the plastic bag hit the spokes, ripped, and expelled its contents on the street: sending strawberries flying. I then dropped in on Liz who had caught fever. I took Rosa up for some toast and we wandered around outside, finding flowers and exploring the jungle seat. Nice to then sit inside with them, holding Liz’s burning head, lending my strength. But I had an appointment and soon rushed off through the sunny streets back to my own flat. I started chopping... I think there was rhubarb, if not there sure were apples and the strawberries I saved from road rash. Phoebe came and chopped a bit and then mixed the crumble to a perfect consistency. Put it all in an angle food cake dish and set it to bake while we explored wwoofing options. With the house smelling sweet we took the crumble out of the oven and sat on the front porch and ate the steaming amazing sweetness strait out of the pan in the golden sun of springtime in Christchurch.

I’d end there but I want to add that I played Frisbee for the first time that evening and had a great time subbing and playing savage for an afternoon, a few decent d’s and I thought my cutting was good if not too sharp. Throws a bit rusty, I couldn't thread the needle so well. A beer and some treats after as the sun set and then bike home with fabian for another yummy salmon Monday with the flat (and James and Grant of course, plus the none flatting flatmates Horst and Fabian)

Cheers! .