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Day 18
Exclusive O.A.T. Activity: Today you'll savor an authentic slice of New Zealand life during a Home-Hosted Dinner with a family in Christchurch. In smaller groups of no more than 5, you'll dine on traditional, homemade cuisine and enjoy spirited conversation about local customs and lifestyles. Read more about this activity below. Breakfast: Served at the hotel beginning at 6:30am with hot and cold dishes available. Morning: Depart the hotel and head out to discover Christchurch on foot with our Trip Experience Leader. The largest city in New Zealand’s South Island, Christchurch is also a city in transition as it is still recovering from two deadly earthquakes—one in 2011 and an even more severe 7.8 magnitude quake in 2016. Undeterred, the citizens here rose to the challenge of coping with these two epic disasters, rebuilding and re-imagining their city center, as well as maintaining their welcoming Kiwi spirit. Our Trip Experience Leader will share stories of Christchurch’s revival as you walk around and see the city renewed—many buildings and structures created with the help of Matapopore, a charitable trust that has ensured the city retains its English heritage while incorporating more Maori representation as well. We’ll end our walking tour around 11:45am at Riverside Market, central Christchurch’s new essential destination for both local and visiting foodies alike. After the earthquakes, many local families lost their businesses—from little cafes to restaurants. Undaunted, these creative business owners helm most of the popular food trucks you’ll see in Riverside Market today. Lunch: On your own—your Trip Experience Leader can suggest their favorite food truck, or sample small bites from a few different ones. Afternoon: Around 1pm, we’ll head back to our hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is free for your own discoveries. Dinner: Around 6pm, we’ll break up into smaller groups of no more than 5 and wait at our hotel to be greeted by local families who will drive us to their Christchurch residences for a Home-Hosted Dinner. Our hosts are likely to be retired middle- to upper-class citizens of European descent who have spent their golden years traveling the world and pursuing hobbies such as sailing, theater, gardening, and golf. Together we’ll share a traditional three-course meal, composed of typical Kiwi cuisine that local families would enjoy in their day-to-day lives. Our hosts will choose the menu, but we’re likely to enjoy local favorites such as roast lamb, seasonal vegetables like kumara (sweet potato), and perhaps a taste of sweet pavlova for dessert—New Zealand’s iconic meringue confection. As we dine, we’ll also enjoy lively conversation about life in New Zealand, an intimate opportunity for cultural exchange made possible only by O.A.T.’s small group size. As our hosts are likely to be fellow world travelers, we’re sure to have much to talk about, whether we’re sharing our favorite travel stories, or discussing issues that affect life in Christchurch—like the earthquake that rocked the city in 2011. Our meal and conversation wrap up around 7:45pm, at which point we’ll make the approximate 15-minute transfer back to the hotel. Evening: Enjoy a free evening. Perhaps you'd be interested to see a show at the historic Isaac Theatre Royal, a heritage building erected in 1908. It is the only Edwardian-style theater remaining in New Zealand. Check with your Trip Experience Leader to learn what's playing. |
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5/15/23 |
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Explore Christchurch
Meals
included: B D