Debbie Downers Dissin’ Down Under’s Neighbors
OK, for all those bad-mouthing Chch, please get a map, TALK to anyone who actually LIVES here and learn that it is not a depressing, “Oh, woe is me,” city. For those looking for night life there Club 22 up on Papanui, the left just before The Phoenix. Lower on Papanui, there’s Aikman Ave. with a few places on both sides of this street [for younger AND older party-goers]. For those looking for great biking and hiking treks, https://www.alltrails.com/ar/trail/new-zealand/canterbury/mtb-track-from-summit-road-to-godley-head here’s Summit Road, just above the panoramic Victoria Park, where you can take a few hours or a couple of days on Single Track trails with views on both sides of peninsula, similar to those up at Queen Charlotte*, https://www.qctrack.co.nz/ or for the less aggressive, there’s Bottle Lake Forest Park about a 20-min ride northwest of the City proper.
There’s live Irish music at Speights on Bealey every Tuesday night, Fox and the Ferrets’ hosts decent live alternate bands Fridays [The Palms] and Saturdays [Westfield/Riccarton Mall]. The Craig is not far from this one, with small pub/gamer atmosphere but decent bands. And for those who can research a bit, there’s so much more LIVE music and action in this wonderful city. So for those bagging Chch, get out and explore or go back to Queenstown!
Who you lookin’ at, BEAoch!?
Actually, the wind nearly blew me off these precarious rocks. I was trying to regain my balance.
So much has changed, and these two may have the best recent 2024 info on treks and whatnots in all of NZ. After my mates returned to Germany, the Philippines, and Australia, I took to the treks I’d learned about after moving out of hostel and finding a flat with Paul and Sarah.
Sure things have changed dramatically, with demo crews slowly, systematically dismantling high-rises and even the iconic Cathedral, from where my 2000 hostel lay less than a block away – always within view from our front door and even some of the rooms.
“idea” of visiting NZ a long-term reality
Do Epic Shit 