Blogger: Breada Cahill
Last weekend we had cousins visiting from Nelson and wanted to do something unusual in Christchurch so we decided to go on the Gondola. Now, I wouldn’t say that the gondola is as much a hidden gem as it is an underrated one. Few Christchurch residents whom I’ve spoken to – Irish or native, have actually taken the gondola. Fortunately, we had a lovely bright day for our excursion so after a nice brunch we headed to the base of Port Hill which is just beyond the town of Ferrymeade.
After buying tickets you can hop in a gondola and go straight for the top. It’s no lie that a picture says a thousand words and in this case the pictures certainly say more than I can for the trip. It takes ten minutes to get to the top. Don’t panic if your gondola stops en route – you’ll be on your way soon enough.
Once we hit the top we spent some time at the various viewing spots taking in 360 degree views of Christchurch and it’s suburbs.
Once you’ve seen all there is to see outside, go inside and warm up with a hot chocolate or other hot drink in the Red Rock Cafe. As well as the cafe, there is also a gift shop and a ‘Time Tunnel’ at the summit. The gift-shop is much like any other gift-shop that you will find in Christchurch. The ‘Time Tunnel’ is less than ten minutes in duration. I wouldn’t say that it’s the most scintillating look at the history of Canterbury but it’s certainly worth checking out. Once you’ve done all there is to do just catch the next Gondola back down to the base!
Taking a trip up Port Hill in the gondola is a relaxed and hassle free way to spend your day. A great plan for a lazy day when you don’t feel like over-exerting yourself.
Top QT Tips:
Play by the Book: If you are sightseeing in Christchurch it is a great idea to pick up an Entertainment book. These books usually retail at about $60 but if you use the book you will make this back in no time. For instance we had two coupons from the book for Buy One Adult Ticket Get One Free, meaning that for we got four adult tickets for just $50 instead of $100. (RRP is usually $25 each.)
Wrap Up: Make sure you bring a jacket up with you because it can get quite chilly at the top of the hill.
Blogger: Breada Cahill - Christchurch, New Zealand.
From Northern Hemisphere to Southern; this Kerry lady's journey began, like many good stories, in Ireland and has so far led to life in Abu Dhabi, San Francisco and now Christchurch. Breda loves photography, good food (and wine), Dr. Seuss quotes. 'love music and meeting new people'. It's not Dr. Seuss, but this Helen Keller quote is certainly one to bear in mind; 'Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all'.
