Christchurch

We decided to visit Christchurch sooner than planned because we thought it important to be there for the National Memorial Service on March 18th. As we had been on South Island when the quake happened we felt it would be the least we could do to show our support (It had nothing to do with the news that Prince William was to attend!!)
Obviously we were unable to see anything of the 'old' Christchurch due to the cordon, but we saw damage in other areas and felt the emotion of the Cantabrians at the service in Hagley Park, along with our friends, Giles and Laura (from Clapham!) who we had met in Queenstown.
While we were there for the 2 nights it was advised to boil all drinking/washing up/brushing teeth water as the water supply had not been cleared of contamination. This really hit home to us about the reality of living in or even visiting a 'disaster zone'.

35,000 people attended the Memorial

The excitement of a Prince was too much for Bea

Drinkable water from the tankers

Willy Wales

A kite of encouragement

Damage on the outskirts of the cordon

Looking into the city centre through the cordon