Get to Christchurch in the middle of the night and ‘low and behold discover that I can’t hardly walk without lots of pain and wanting to spew and not looking forward to what I assumed would be crappy hotel beds. On this point I was unfortunately not disappointed and the bed I found myself spending the night in was indeed soft, soggy and in no way conducive to sleep for one such as myself who needs a decent firm bed for any sort of sleep let alone good sleep.
We discover once we turn our phones back on that one of our party who was supposed to be meeting us at Christchurch airport as he was flying in from Sydney had missed his flight… apparently poor Narc had undertaken the two hours of public transport required to get from his place to the Sydney International Airport only to discover he had left his passport at home! So he had to go all the way back and try to get on a flight the next day instead. I left my pre-purchased duty free shopping at home once back in the old days and Mum drove home and back in the mandatory 2 hour before your flight check in time bullshit.. but never my passport – touch wood.
Woke up much as expected…. that is, feeling like a wrung out dish rag and very stiff from the flight and crap bed. Went and did some grocery shopping and headed out to Methven to get settled into the little cottage we have rented No 52 (link). It is a gorgeous private little place and had a lovely kitchen which is important cos I hate eating out all the time. And… this is the most important bit… the place is new enough that the mattresses aren’t total crap – thank Christ for that!