Christchurch Airport (9th March)

So I’m now at Christchurch international airport with its one coffee kiosk and a handful of shops making use of their 15 mins free WiFi before boarding.

For someone who travels for a living I’m really not that much of a fan of it. Once you’re there and all that goes with any trip then yes for sure, but everything you have to go through to actually get somewhere, mmm I think not. The flight itself, is usually not that bad, it’s the check in and security and waiting around forever and and and.....Until they invent a decent teleport though I guess we’re stuck with it!

So I’ve backpacked (!) my way around NZ with a wheelie holdall, a car and a laptop, but it was just the other day that I met a guy from America who told me that we are now termed ‘flashpackers’ (himself ncluded)! Not having heard the term before I googled it and this is what it said.

‘A simple definition of the term Flashpacker can be thought of as backpacking with flash, or style. Flashpackers have been further defined as tech-savvy adventurers who often prefer to travel with a cell phone, digital camera, iPod and a laptop’ ok so I’m missing the i-pod but apart from that......! The only other thing it said was that flashpackers tend to have a more disposable income.... Oh if only that were the truth!

I’ve been away for almost 6 weeks, I‘ve travelled 5869 km (3646 miles, which even the car hire guy said was pretty impressive), I’ve taken nearly 4500 pictures and videos (I know you’re all dying to see them in their entirety, I think even the laptop is on the verge of meltdown as a result!!) I’ve picked up around 6 hitchhikers and met a whole host of different people from all around the world.

The one constant through it all though was my trusty little car. Together we’ve travelled through thick and thin (motorways and one lane bridges (and there are really hundreds of those)), we’ve had ups and downs (mountains and valleys) and for such a little car I certainly have put it through its paces but it’s done me proud, and it’s amazing the speed you can get out of such a tiny little machine! :-)

That’s another interesting thing about NZ everyone seems to stick to the speed limit, the locals at least. Peter pointed out that you can tell the Germans because they are speeding so much but I think the British come a close second!

So it was just yesterday when I was in such a hurry to see first Arthurs Pass and then get back to Christchurch that I suddenly thought wouldn’t it be funny if the reason why they all stick to the speed limit is because there are a million hidden speed cameras and that once I dropped off the car I would be met with thousands of dollars of fines. Funny? Now I’m thinking perhaps not!

Fortunately for now, it seems that me and my little car have got away with it.