Day 3. Christchurch Activities

 It was pretty cold (about 17 degrees) and grey today, always threatening to rain but not quite getting there. Which is not too bad for getting out and about.

This morning we went out on ebikes - apparently a half day hire was included in our room package, which we didn't know until we got here. Fortunately, the Avon River runs very close to the hotel - just a narrow block away (to both the east and the west of us, and we're sitting in a long bend). So we went west to Hagley Park and then rode along the river, past the botanic gardens in a loop. With the wind on us it was actually very cold, but still fun.

Along the Avon

After dropping Lynn back at the hotel I went out again and followed the river east towards the sea for some distance, until it was too cold and I turned back and looped down through the middle of the town; there are lots of bike paths and its flat everywhere, so goot for riding.

For lunch we went down to the coast at New Brighton. The seaside holiday strip was actually quite down at heel and shabby, not just because the summer has passed and it was quiet, but it had clearly seen better days. Fortunately we found a nepalese cafe for lunc, which took us up to our booking at the He Puna Taimoana hot pools, right next to the jetty and overlooking the water.

There are a series of pools at different temperatures - the coolest in the mid-20s, the hottest about 38. I also tried out the sauna and steam room. Twice I tried to go from the hot pool to the cold plunge pool (the sign said 6-10 degrees) but I could only last a few seconds before staggering back.

The hottest pool



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