South Island Hospitality

The ‘Marathon of Friendship’ was in full swing again when we hopped off the plane in Christchurch to meet Geoff and Shelly. The easy going, quick-witted couple run an adventure touring company on the South Island and were kind enough to take us in sight unseen after a few short emails. Geoff said anyone who quits their jobs to ‘re-focus’ and travel New Zealand must have some good stories!

After passing the landmarks in Christchurch and hearing a little of the history, we unload our gear in the self-contained apartment over the garage and met in their living room for conversation over wine, rugby and the Vancouver Olympics opening ceremonies. The next morning, we organized the day over musli, then Geoff drove us up Dyer’s Pass road and dropped us at the summit of a great mountain biking track so we could enjoy the run back down.

Over the next couple days, we learned that Geoff and Shelly have travelled the world over. They were both teachers in a previous life, then made the leap from outdoor retail to adventure tourism with just a van and some cycles in their driveway. Now the organization is a bustling business, with summer guides taking foreign and local tourists across New Zealand on group bike, hike and walk trecks. Their ambition and courage were inspiring, especially because they seem to have found their passion and live it daily!

Josh and I spent Valentine’s Day in downtown Christchurch, a British settlement that Geoff dubbed ‘more English than England’. With street names like Gloucester and Cambridge, British colonial architecture and old-time red phone booths, there was a distinct resemblance to Boston! We wandered through the Arts Centre marketplace, a myriad of galleries, craft and jewelry shops and had takeaway lunch on the lawn. We strolled through Cathedral Square and visited the Christchurch Cathedral and the Chalice (a giant steel waffle cone structure erected to commemorate the city’s birthday).

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Christchurch is aptly named ‘The Garden City’ for its bountiful botanical garden and Hagley Park (the third largest city park in the world behind Central and Hyde Parks).  

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We stopped to watch punters (gondoliers) carrying couples down the Avon, then shared a giant bowl of coffee before being picked up for dinner by our gracious hosts. A lovely Valentine’s Day in a quaint little city!

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