Day 1: SYD ✈️ CHC (Christchurch)

Flew to Christchurch with Emirates—such a great airline！ Perfect timing to ease into right-hand driving here too. Landed at 2 PM, cleared customs, picked up luggage, grabbed the car, and arrived at our Airbnb by 4 PM. The place was incredible—the view? Straight-up stolen my heart！ 🌟 🚗We planned to catch a sunset, but the sun vanished behind clouds right when we got there ☁️ (would’ve been stunning in clear weather！). Instead, we wandered into town to check out the viral spot: Amazonia. 🌄 📍 Amazonia 📍 126 Oxford Terrace Tasty food, though a bit salty for my taste. Parking tip: Street park at 79 Cambridge Terrace (closest spot！). Day 2: Christchurch 🚗 Lake Tekapo Pro tip for navigation: Add Rakaia Scenic Lookout as a waypoint！ Only adds 10+ mins to the drive, but the views are so worth it. Left at 9:30 AM, stopped for photos along the way, and reached Astro Cafe by 1:30 PM. ⚠️ Note: Entry fee $8 (card accepted！), and the café closes at 3 PM—hurry！ The wind was brutal—my coffee nearly blew away ☕🌬️, but the scenery? Worth every shaky sip. 📍 Astro Cafe Afterward, we meandered down to the lake. Benches along the shore made perfect photo ops, or you can climb down for a closer shot by the water 🌊. 📍 Little Fool Bakery Easy parking here！ But… the “Shepherd” (sheep statue) was a bit of a letdown. Maybe the bright sun made it look less impressive in person？ It’s tiny, crowded, and we were in and out quickly—more of a “quick stop” than a must-see. #NewZealand #NZTravel #SelfDriveNZ #SouthIsland #ChristchurchAdventures