15th September – Rolling in the Deep

Today’s song is because Adele must be on the radio every hour on the hour while we drive around – she really has gone global. (how cool am I – I bought it on day of release in January.

Nearly every tiny village we’ve stopped at, for what ever reason has a war memorial. (The one’s that don’t were founded after 1914)>#On each of then there are 10’s of Names. I found Geraldine’s this morning when I was out running – two main streets – 40 names on the memorial for world War 1, maybe Gallipoli or Passchendale fighting for a war half a world away for their mother country. I do wonder when New Zeadland now feels more British than living in Britain, why we courted Europe so much, when we could have traded with the Commonwealth (fastest growing economy outside China is India)., and done more for mutual benefit, instead of paying billions to support crap apples from lazy French farmers, and corrupt Meditteranean countries.

We drove into Rolleston, a small town outside Christchurch – well I had to see it. Well presented houses and a few little shops – a really nice place to live – why leave home?

Then onto the English city, Christchurch. A week on from my last visit and the magnolia are in full bloom in Hagley Park. It started to rain and we fell for the tourist info of go to Lyttleton. (Craft shops and artisan food). Reality was different. Their high street wasn’t just closed – it was falling down – the earthquake had struck it. The fish and chip shop, the baakers, and a soup kitchen were operating out of portakabins. The rest of the shops and bars were closed, awaiting demolition. We bought fish and chips there – such determination to keep operating had to have our tourist dollar. We sat in the van, eating them, pouring down with rain, watching the grey sea – we could have been at home!

In Canterbury Museum, newly opened that day, New Zealand’s history was proudly mapped, and we were greeted enthusiastically as punters. Proudly on display was antique china, brought over by the early settlers. China from Derby, Stoke and Worcester – the world really is a small place.