Christchurch is such an inspirational city, and a beautiful one at that. I’m sure you’ve heard about the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes that shook Christchurch and brought the city to rubble. But the human spirit of these people is so strong that they have rebuilt with hope and love, instead of despair and melancholy. The Christchurch Tramway highlights the beauty of the city with a unique vintage touch. My parents and I had a few moments to spare before meeting with our Kiwi family, so why not explore Christchurch the old-fashioned way?
Christchurch has had trams running throughout the city since the 1800s. Even after the war, when diesel buses became the go-to mode of transport, vintage restorers had their way of creating a separate tram route for these historical vehicles. In 2005 the Christchurch Tramway became a popular tourist attraction, and the restored trams were put back on the tracks to ride around the city once again, now as a historical tour for anyone wanting a bit of history with their travel.
Now, you can’t have an activity like this without a super sweet driver! We bought our tickets from him, took a seat, and off we went. He would tell us about the history of the city, the history of the trams, and anything interesting that stood out as we passed by. This included all the amazing art and statues around the city, like when we arrived at one of the tram stops and met some very adorable sculptures, “waiting patiently for us, as always, are the late queen Elizabeth’s corgi dogs.” The street art in Christchurch is also breath-taking. It’s not just a piece of graffiti, it’s an artwork displaying emotion, culture and the individualism of the ordinary Christchurch people. Some of these pieces really astounded me as we were driving by, especially with the size and colour of the paintings. These people have used a boring wall to create something beautiful, fun and vibrant to get their message across to the city they love.
Since we didn’t have a lot of time in Christchurch, the tram was a great way to see all the sights in under an hour! We saw all the famous monuments and attractions, and our driver pointed out the more hidden spots for those who were interested. Mum really wanted to see the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial, a marble wall with the engraved names of those who died or were seriously injured in the Canterbury Earthquake. We also drove past the Christchurch Arts Centre and needed to have a better look at the gorgeous gothic buildings and the amazing creations of the students who were enrolled. Our driver also gave us a lot of recommendations for restaurants and cafes to eat at, but as we have a coeliac in the family, we just had to admire them from afar.
Our tram driver also talked about the history of the Christchurch earthquake while driving around the city. Although the event occurred over 10 years ago now, many buildings are still in repair, and the damage can still be seen today. It takes a long time to recover from a disaster like that. Especially when it costs so much to rebuild the beautiful old school buildings that had been reduced to rubble after the earthquakes. But seeing the construction work around the city is so inspiring to know that Christchurch is moving on. This city, well the country in general can teach us so much about resilience, perseverance and teamwork through difficult times. I’m so glad to have visited New Zealand when I did! With everything that has been going on in my life lately, I needed this jolt of inspiration to keep me going with the strength I know I have.
The Christchurch Tram was a perfect activity to just relax and take in the beautiful city scenery. We got to see all the famous and lesser-known sights while getting a history lesson from the sweetest driver! Trust me, if you have an hour to spare in Christchurch, definitely consider hopping aboard.
All photos in this post were taken by me.
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