Christchurch - The Jailhouse

I started the day with a solid 12 mile run around a park in Christchurch with clear skies and a cool temperature. I’ve been doing a lot of walking, hiking, and running. One or all activities just about everyday. My fitness level is quite good. Better than it has been in awhile. I really think the clean breezy fresh air of New Zealand adds a lot in of itself. It’s been a good while since I’ve clicked through 12 miles feeling as smooth, steady, and strong as today. It felt great and was one of those kind of workouts that leave me feeling satisfied. For me it was special and makes me feel like I’m doing something right.

A couple of days before leaving Wellington I was a little peeved when I got an email from Interislander Ferry that my 9 am booking was changed to a 7 am. I contacted them to ask why and they said some of their crew was sick and they couldn’t take as many passengers because of safety issues. You think they would have a better contingency plan for such a situation. I was then told I needed to check in by 5:45 am which meant I would have to get up very early, around 4:30 am for a long walk in the dark to the ferry.

I contacted the ferry on a couple of other occasions and pleaded my case. Sometimes when you talk to someone else you get a different outcome. After all, I was originally booked on the 9 am and the 9 am was still running. One person I talked to said there would be a shuttle van at the train station at 5:45 am which would make the walk easier. Another Interislander rep told me there was no shuttle van at that time in the morning. The representatives I contacted were firm, all business, and really had nothing to offer but a refund if I’d like it. One stated that 300 passengers had been randomly moved off the 9 am to the 7 am. I checked their website one more time. It was showing seats available for the 9 AM. I could have booked another ticket according to web. I contacted Interislander again and told them I could buy a new 9 AM ticket off the web. I asked what was up with that and they said there must be a mistake with the system. Still no break. At that point I dropped it and decided I just needed to get up at 4:30 and make sure I got on the 7 am. I had a bus and accommodation already booked on the other side.

I left my room at Tepuni Village before 5 am and walked fast. As I passed through the middle of downtown Wellington some sketchy guy was walking slowly along the sidewalk while angrily shouting profanities. I saw this same sort of thing several times in Auckland during daytime hours,. If someone were doing that back home the cops would be called but I not in New Zealand. I crossed over to the other side and around a corner to avoid being seen. I made it to the train station quickly.

At the train station bus stop I met three Maori women from the Northland who were on holiday and heading South. They were in the same predicament as me and had been switched to the 7 am. They were told someone would be there to pick us up. I would have walked the additinal 30 minutes or so to get to the ferry but the path isn’t so clear in the dark and I was told it was a dangerous walk along a buy highway regardless. Two more couples showed up. At that point there was 8 of us total.

At 6:10 there still wasn’t a shuttle. I suggested we try to get a couple of taxis. Just as I was about to do that a van pulled in. The driver said he had been scheduled to pick us up at 6:15. By time we got to the terminal the ferry was just finishing boarding. At 6:45 the ferry pulled away from the dock. It all worked out but still I had been given bad info by every Interislander rep. There is another ferry service. Blueridge. I tried to switch to them but they were all full. I found out they are the better ferry as their dock in right in the city.

Aside of getting a lousy nights sleep it was kind of nice arriving early at South Island ferry port of Picton. Picton is a pleasant little town. I stored my pack in a locker at the terminal. I then went for a short hike and had lunch thanks to the extra time. Afterwards I retrieved my pack and found the stop for the bus to Christchurch.

An Aussie with a backpack was waiting in line next to me and we started talking. He arrived on the 9 am ferry. I asked him how it was. He said it was good. A full boat. Go figure. I found it odd that my booking was changed by the ferry company two days before the ferry was due to leave. I suspect what really happened was a booking issue on their end coupled with bad communication or something. The 9 am was probably overbooked so they moved some people to the earlier ferry. Obviously not 300 passengers. Anyway, as always, everything worked out fine. Heck, in some countries stuff like this happens regularly. Like a train strike in France or a bus driver, in some other country, showing up late because his 7 year daughter was having a birthday and he couldn’t leave before having a piece of cake. All kinds of wacky unplanned stuff can happen with transportation but in New Zealand you really don’t have to deal with too much monkey business. It’s almost always on the up and up. Just a minor delay as can be expected from time to time.

It was a beautiful day for a bus ride down the coast to Christchurch. We stopped in the seaside town of Kaikoura for 40 minute break. If the weather is good it’s a nice stop. The bus parks at a cafe and there’s a large lovely beach of smooth round black rocks of various sizes.

We arrived in Christchurch right on time. I then took a local bus to the Jailhouse. The Jailhouse hostel that is. It’s an actual old jail that’s been converted into accommodation. I booked it for novelty sake and like that it’s near a park. I have my own room which is an actual cell with a bunk bed. The walls are very thick as well as the door which is heavy gauge steel. The place has a lot of character and is popular with young travelers. There are a few of us older folks but it’s mostly young Germans and Chinese from what I can tell. The employees wear orange shirts with prisoner ID numbers as they vacuum and clean toilets. The bed spreads are black and white striped. The manager on duty is called the warden. It’s quite novel but the toilet facilities leave a little bit to be desired. It’s not a bad hostel and good for a night or two. Needless to say the place does kind of has an odd vibe.

Since I arrived later in the evening I really only have one day in Christchurch so I’m happy to just hang out after having such a good run this morning. I was in Christchurch for several days a couple of years ago so there’s no need to spend much time here. Tomorrow I’ll move on first thing.