Unfortunately for Chris, his birthday started at McDonalds on the night shift. He decided to stay up for the night - clearly eager to receive all his cards and pressies first thing. He was a bit disappointed that there wasn't a new car for him parked on the driveway. He also seemed a bit unimpressed with the tandem para-gliding experience that we had provisionally booked for him - so that was duly un-booked!
We eventually agreed on a course of action for the morning - breakfast at Cafe C1 and then a wander around town to buy him a watch. He chose a nice adidas model - which we hope he will get many years use out of!
He then decided that he needed his bed so celebrations were put on hold for a few hours...that is until Maria, Sarah and I headed into town to a couple of bars for late afternoon drinkies in the expectation of Chris joining us. But he never arrived - deciding to spend some time with pals instead and then settling for a take-away Hells Pizza for his birthday dinner rather than the planned posh-nosh in town! Ah well, his choice. At least we had a pleasant time on Oxford Terrace.
He had a few pals around at Desmond Street on Friday for a few beers and PS3 games before heading off into town to hit a few bars to celebrate R18.
Elsewhere this week, we enjoyed the presence of our first UK visitor - Ashley Cooper. In Christchurch on business, Ashley entertained me at the Addington Races on Friday with a gathering of the local aerospace elite.
I actually managed to come away from the event having beaten the Bookie!
Ashley stayed at Desmond Street on the Saturday after we had enjoyed a day out over in Akaroa.
The trip was made extra special due to the fact that we were lent a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow for the afternoon - compliments of Allan Jones, one of Ashley's team who is actually from Christchurch and has a couple of them sat in a garage just on the outskirts of town - as you do!
So it was a rather smooth ride over to the French quarter that is Akaroa - and we certainly received a few admiring looks as we purred through la ville.
We had a great time out on the Akaroa Jet Boat experience - despite it being a bit choppy out on the water and suffering a few salt-water facials!
Looking forward to going again on a still day when he can really open it up - so just waiting for the next visitor to arrive!
We had a drive out to Sumner for breakfast this morning (Sunday) and a stroll along the esplanade.
We drove back along the summit road before heading back to town and a saunter around the botanical gardens before Ashley had to bid his farewells and head off on the next leg of his round-the-world business trip; next stop San Francisco.
Earlier in the week I'd managed to catch up with Bill Southgate from Rolls-Royce who is over here on holiday, staying with friends over in Governors Bay. We met up for a run along the Harry Ells track in the Port Hills and then enjoyed a pleasant cuppa tea and jam scone at the Sign of the Kiwi. He and his wife have headed off to the Abel Tasman National Park for a few days and I hope to catch up again some time next week for another run before his stay in NZ comes to and end.
So Cup and Show Week has come and gone here in Christchurch and it's now the run in to Christmas! Sarah goes off on School Camp tomorrow for 2 nights and Maria and I are contemplating a trip out to Hanmer Springs or the West Coast for an over-nighter - it's been a holiday weekend here, so why rush back to work!
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