New Brighton and cyclepath Avon River

I slept late, ate breakfast and rode my bike to town to look for a new handlebar bag holder. It was hard to find the right model, so I kept searching and explored Christchurch.

Outside the mosque there were lots of flowers and stuffed animals and police guarded the area. A completely incomprehensible event and it becomes even more incomprehensible when you are so close.

I read a little at the posters and pictures and get teary–eyed. It takes a while before I regain some kind of peace.

After a hour and half I entered New Brighton which is bathed in sunshine. The beach resort is not large, just under 2500 inhabitants but has a gigantic long beach, 17–18 km. As all other beach villages lots of small shops that sells souvenirs and knick-knacks, cafés and bars.

New Brighton is a coastal suburb of Christchurch,  It is one of eastern Christchurch’s main entertainment and tourist centres. The most striking thing about New Brighton is the 300-meter-long pier and its 18 km-long, child- and dog-friendly beach.

What characterizes New Brighton is its unique pier that stretches straight 300 meters straight into the sea. It was rebuilt and completed in 1997 and then repaired in 2016 after the earthquake that happened here in 2011.

It’s not just two–legged people who see this beach as a playground, our four–legged friends also love this beach and today there are many who walk their doggies after it.

However, there are signs urging owners to keep an eye on their dog and during the high season November to April ril are not allowed to pass the surfers lifesaving clubs within 100 meters without being on a leash.

There are some bathing tourists but they are few, the season is partly ove,  however the seagulls are active vocally They like to keep an eye on those standing on the pier and fishermen and also check me out when I open my backpack to get something to eat.

Before I cycle back to the Christchurch a coffee break at pier’s barm Salt On The Pier which is located in the same building as the beach resort’s library and quite well visited.

I took another route back to Christchurch, follow the Avon river. The road was  winding and low traffic, passing lots of small residential areas. In the river

Before I’m back and forth at my hostel, I stop at a supermarket, New World, for some provisions. Later, it will be mostly to laze in the common dining room and kitchen that exists. Here it is never empty. French and French dominate, some from Brazil and some from Germany and then a crazy man from Ö–vik

Something that is typical of the French speakers is their food culture. While I’m cooking pasta, frying sausages and making some bagged pasta sauce, they’re preparing stews, pies, boiling vegetables, beating eggs and god knows everything.

If there are three or four pairs, they basically take up the entire kitchen interior including the stove and oven, but where there’s room for one more, there’s room for food.

The atmosphere is good.

See Yeah Later
P-G
//The Global Cyclist