Christchurch

Met up with Jackie, Ian and their friends, Donald and Lois, in Sumner and enjoyed a lovely lunch together. It seemed incredible to be the other side of the world and meet up with friends from home! We caught up with all our family news and were then invited to go to Donald and Lois's home for coffee. They live high above Sumner overlooking Pegasus Bay. What an incredible home - lots of glass to maximise the outstanding views (apparently they signed the contract to buy the day before the first earthquake!) They have some damage and are moving out for 1 month shortly, to enable repairs to be carried out. We travelled to our site via the city centre as able - lots of roads closed off and evidence of rebuilding taking place. Note the bent spire of the Jubilee clock tower - the whole place was pretty desolate - very sad.