Black day for Christchurch

Dear all

This is a short post today as we have no internet or mobile connections where we are. Currently our priorities are getting messages home to parents as is every other tourist in the area.

Our day started well as we travelled north from Murchison along the Motueka highway passing some beautiful vistas. When we got to Motueka we had a little mooch around the shops where I bought myself another journal to cover South America. As I was queuing to pay we had our first inkling that there were issues on the other side of the Island. Everyone was rushing into the electronics shop next door to watch the unfurling chaos in Christchurch whilst locals were frantically trying to call family and friends to check they were OK, but the emergency services had already closed down most of the airways and internet services to emergency lines only. They say there are six degrees of separation in the word, but in NZ they are proud of the fact that it’s more likely to be two! It was evident within that first hour that this quake had been far more destructive than in September and within that first hour they announced 5 deaths. We decided to retreat further north to our destination a little early a campsite in a small village on the edge of the Able Tasman National Park, Marahau. The mood was so sombre most people spent the night glued to the TV in the kitchen as with no connection to the outside world there was not much else to do and nobody was in the mood to party.  On that note I will finish for the night (or when I can post). As you can guess no photos tonight.

I just hope the death toll & injuries stays low and the clear up is fast

Sara