I'm doing a hunt in New Zealand (south island) in late may. After the hunt I have a couple days for some shopping/sightseeing/eating/drinking, etc in Christchurch. Any suggestions on places to go for things to buy, family and hunting related. Looking to get some wool product things in particular for some of the family and friends back home.

Willi

I would blow off Christchurch and go to Queenstown.

Bad timing I'm afraid!

I'd check the news Bisonhunter. Christchurch has been hit by an earthquake.

By late May Christchurch should be on the way back to normal.

Christchurch is knackered and wont be back to normal by May, the inner city will be out for months ,they are digging out bodies as I write this ,76 confirmed dead and 250 missing ,the largest hotel building in the centre of town is tetering and ready to topple, 20 loors high spend a couple more days on the hill.I have three sisters that live there thankfully they are OK but plenty others are in bad way.

Gidday bisonhunter1,

Give us a yell a bit closer to your trip and I should be able to give you a better idea then.

Things are rather fluid here at the moment (pun intended) but I suspect that we won't be too flash for a while as the damage is huge. We have no water or sewage system and are using a hole in the ground and a solar shower.

Over 50% of the city has no electrcity.

Larrys idea of Queenstown is a better idea at the moment I think.

I hope you have a good trip mate as there is tons to do outside of Chch.

Happy Hunting

Hamish

We were going to fly into ChCh at the start of June for our tahr hunt, but the Queenstown idea might be good if I can still get off-season tickets then. It is a dear place to land in ski season.

What's the chance of getting backpackers' rations in Queenstown?

- Paul

Backpackers Queenstown in June would pay to book,a lot of extra visitors this year with Rugby world cup.

Queenstown is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen anywhere in the world. There is a hell of a lot to do there.

If an when I go back, I am going to do most of my non hunting activities in Queenstown. You can't beat it.

quote:

Originally posted by TOP_PREDATOR:
Backpackers Queenstown in June would pay to book,a lot of extra visitors this year with Rugby world cup.

I take it you're referring to pre-series visitors, TP. Are any of the matches played before September?

Bisonhunter1,

Christchurch was/is certainly a beautiful place.

I rode the tram doing laps of the CBD and established where the good restaurants and pubs were then jumped off at the nearest stop.

I am afraid that may not be possible now.

I'm hunting Chamois/Thar late May/early June and will fly into Christchurch but don't expect to see much of the Central Business District due to the Earthquake damage.

There is a chain of gunstores "Hunting and Fishing" (Christchurch, Dunedin etc) (no this is not a paid add nor do I know the people) that is well worth checking out. Make sure you take the time to see Burt Munroe,s (the world's fastest Indian) motorbikes in the Hayes and Sons hardware store in Invercargill.

There is also another couple of gunstores in Christchurch though I don't know their "status" after the earthquakes.

The kiwis have a very healthy approach to the outdoor sports and gunstores and tackle shops proliferate.........great to see.

Good hunting. The South Island is a beautiful place and make sure you have enough time to "tourist" a bit.