WEDNESDAY IN CHRISTCHURCH

Cathedral/Botanic Gardens/Denny's

   Today was the last day of our vacation from vacation. We still hadn't gone to the Cathedral or the Botanic Gardens. So today we decided to go up town for that. Jim and James dropped off all of the girls at the Gardens, and then we got to decided what we wanted to do from there

   Nicole, Emily, Neeley and I decided that we wanted to go to the Cathedral first! It was absolutely gorgeous! We walked in and they were having a flower festival, so all along the center they were making floral arrangements. Then we walked along the outside of the the Cathedral and the arches and the windows and everything inside the cathedral were absolutely gorgeous! After we went into the little gift shop, and I found the cutest book! I got one for Ashlyn and Bryson, and then I even got one for me! That's how cute of a book it was! It's the New Zealand ABC'S.

     After we had spent a good amount of time in the cathedral and around the square there, we decided we would go looking down the shops of Christchurch. We found some very interesting things. They were very tourist based shops! They were very fun to look in though! Also along the way we found the best telephone booth, and the best cafe ever! We couldn't resist! We had to take a picture!

 

 

    Following this, we went up to the Botanic Gardens! First of all I had no idea how pretty they would be, and second of all I had no idea how BIG they were! There was even a playground that we could play on (And of course we did). It was really pretty! We took several candid shots...well okay I guess they are more posed candid shots. I think my favorite was the central rose garden. They were absolutely gorgeous! There were little arches you got to walk under with rose all around the top of them. I loved them! The smell of the whole garden was incredible!

      One we had finished at the gardens, it was lunch time. We all decided we thought it would be so cool to go to Denny's in New Zealand! I know it's fun to go to Denny's in the states, but it doesn't even compare to the Denny's in New Zealand! ha ha!  We walk in and we all order. Don't worry I had the Ultimate omlet! It was very tasty! It came with Hash Browns and Toast, and everything you could imagine was in my omlet. But this isn't the most exciting news! The most exciting news of the entire food experience was THEY HAD REAL KETCHUP!!!! No where over here has real ketchup! Everywhere over here has Tomato sauce! For some reason ketchup is very rare. Although not at Denny's! They had real Heinz Ketchup! This made all of our day! I think that may have been the most exciting thing ever! It was really funny! Once we had ate our dinner, we were looking and desserts, and Christine and I had been craving brownies! Brownies and cookies over here are hard. They aren't soft like they are in the states, so we decided to try and see if it was a REAL brownie! We split a brownie Sundae. I'm going to be honest and say it wasn't quite a real brownie, but it was the closest thing I have see yet to a real brownie over here. Also, the hot fudge was amazing! It was a really fun Denny's trip! Another crazy thing about the Denny's in New Zealand! They have a fish tank! I haven't heard of one fish tank in a Denny's in any of the states! This was really fun! 

 

        Anyway, after Denny's it was time to go to the airport and get all checked in. It had been a really fun vacation from vacation! On the way back, I played triva the entire time. I kept trying to fall asleep, and just as I would be about asleep, I would know the answer to one of the questions and get sucked right back in. It was a great trip though!

         When I got home, I had been missing talking to family, and seeing the outside world (We would go to internet cafes to check our e-mail, and you only got three minutes free so that's all we used). So I got on my computer. I got on skype, and I was going to see if randomly anyone of my family was online (it was about 2:00 A.M their time). So for some reason it said Natasha was on. I decided I would call and see if they really were on or if it was just a fluke, but it was just a fluke! So then I decided I would call my mom. Good news! She woke and was able to talk to me! I got to tell her all about everything!

         Now the real funny part of this story is about Natasha/Ashlyn. The next morning, Natasha and Ashlyn were skyping with me, and guess who was up last night! Ashlyn Kay was up! She heard the computer ringing, and she went in to her mom's room and said, "Mom I think Nancy is calling us." Her mom told I wasn't and to go back asleep. But in the morning guess who found out she was right! Ashyln did! Ashyln had heard my call! It was very cute! But that was my trip to the South Island! It was all so much fun! I do believe Queenstown is one of my favorite places I have ever been! I loved every minute of the vacation from vacation!