What's been happening.... well I have just had 10 days at home in Christchurch and it's fair to say that I had a bloody great time. I got to catch up with family and friends and enjoy some amazing Chch weather... even if I did suffer from hayfever. I arrived on a day that was pretty cold and rainy but to be honest, after the Christmas/New Year weather that Brisbane had been having, it was quite a nice change - one that wasn't to last! The weather for the rest of the time I was there probably averaged about 25-28 degrees, with a couple real scorchers in there. Including over 30 degrees on the day of my friends wedding!
I decided early on in the trip that I was going to try and take as many photos as possible... I think I succeeded too - I actually took more photos in my 10 days in Chch than I did in my 3 weeks in the States... admittedly I did have a wedding and another photo shoot in there. I also decided that I was going to try and get some photos of my childhood - meaning places I remember from my childhood. I wanted to do this because so much of Chch has gone now after the quakes and I wanted to get reminders of my early life before anything else happened.
I have to say it was actually a fun thing to do - going to these places and remembering the moments I had there... It was pretty hard in the street that I use to live on for about 30 years because most of the houses have now been removed, including the house I use to live in. It was rather sad to see the house that I grew up in and have so many memories of, no longer there. Instead the house was gone and replaced with overgrown weeds & flowers... it was actually more sad in a very peaceful way. Bees were buzzing, birds were chirping and all that remained of the buildings was a corner of my dads old glasshouse. I know that it's just a house and that I still have memories, but I did feel as I was standing where my house stood, like a piece of my past had disappeared.
I visited the parks I use to play in as a kid, the swimming pool at the beach I use to go and try to get on top of the whale, Lyttelton Harbour to see the Tug that my dad use to volunteer on... it was quite a journey in itself to go to these places and remember things that were long forgotten. I think sometimes we are so keen for what is coming up in our lives that we forget about where we have come from. I think that's why I love history so much, because you get to see what has past and who we were without everyday stuff like bills & work getting in the way. People don't think the past is important and that we don't have to remember where we have come from... I think it is extremely important to know where you come from - how can you know who you are if you don't know where you are from.Being a Kiwi and from Christchurch is a huge part of my identity. I know there are some people who have left NZ and left Christchurch keen to never go back. You know what, that is fine.. but that is not me. I have always said I am a Cantabrian first and Kiwi second. I love that I am from a city like Christchurch, it was and still is a very pretty English city - I didn't realise how English until I went to England! I think that is why when I did finally get to the UK that I felt so at home, because it did remind me of home. I wish I could go back in time and not take for granted those things that are no longer there. I wish I had spent more time exploring my city when it was in it's beautiful former state. But I can't... all I can do is remember or try to remember those things...
Something we have been talking about lately is being a tourist in your own town.. this is something I would encourage everyone to do... look at things you wouldn't normally look at - look up!!! It's amazing what you find when you look at something with a different perspective. Go out and see your city or town... you never know when it might be too late and then once it's gone, you can never get those moments back. Get out there and do something you have always wanted to do... whether you live in New York and have never been to the Statue of Liberty or you love in Brisbane and have never been to the Botanical Gardens or you live in Christchurch and have never been to the Museum... get out there and just explore...
