NZ 2023 - East Coast (Day 22 of 33)

Link to Day 22's video: https://youtu.be/ydKsFFsGp5E

Featuring the cat called Pumpkin that is owned by the owners of Jailhouse Accommodation!

Today was a very straightforward day. Woke up at 6am just to get out of the hostel ASAP to make it in time for the bus at 7:45am. Reached the bus stop 45 minutes early so I decided to walk around the empty CBD area. Glad I did.

I took so many pictures because the empty streets are perfect! I believe the streets are only empty on this very day each year! Wow!

Riverside Market this empty feels very apocalyptic!

The empty streets really look like a post-apocalyptic world!

Yesterday saw this Bridge of Remembrance and wanted to take picture with it, but it was so crowded with tourists. Today, I'm the only human there. Wow! What a great and rare opportunity!!!

And wow, the amount of pictures that I can take with Christchurch's prominent landmarks without any human interruption!!!

The bus ride was fun too, although I pretty much still hate bus rides because I feel like puking all the time. We went from sunny, to cloudy, to rainy and back to sunny again! 

Bus stopped us at Oamaru for a 30-minute break and for total NZD$24.60, I just ordered the fish part of fish n chips. Also drank this peppermint milkshake that was bombz. Sadly the person served me actual cup and plate so I gotta have to gobble everything up and make it back to the bus in time!

The 40-minute layover at Dunedin was nothing more than just a quick toilet break for me because the bus arrived late. Sighhh means no chance to get lunch.

But yay! Bus stopped us at this little town called Balclutha for our 30-minute break. Saw a Subway opposite the petrol station so I made a run for it to buy some hot food (NZD$10.40) while everyone crammed into the petrol station's shop. Hehe. Gotta play it smart when it matters!

Reached Invercargill at 6:20pm and wow, Tuatara Lodge is literally just at the Intercity bus stop. Like wow I don't even need to walk 10 metres to the gate of the hostel from the bus! Room is super neat and tidy too! Nice!!! Then I rushed to Pak N Save to stock up on water and snacks (NZD$24.80). 

And catch a great dinner at a restaurant just beside the hostel! It is called Speights Ale House, which is actually a franchise not limited to Invercargill. The steak and beer cost NZD$48.30. Neat day!

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