Arrived in Christchurch from Sydney, Saturday 11 October. Met at the airport by the conference organiser. The drive into the city was just beautiful. It was a gorgeous spring day–clear skies, trees with new leaf and spring blossoms, lovely houses. Little sign of the earthquake devastation that hit Christchurch a few years ago… Until we got to the city centre. While a lot of buildings have been rebuilt, others are being held up by struts and scaffolding… and shipping containers of all things. Some lots are razed to the ground and others are still rubble. There are a lot of empty spaces where buildings one stood.
But through it all Christchurch shines through! A group of us walked into town and around town last night and there is evidence of a sense of humour in the public art installations and a real sense of pride and love for this delightful city. It felt like an incredibly safe place too.
Pictures to come if I figure out how to upload them from my tablet! We’re off across the NZ Alps on a train trip today, so that should be fun. Conference starts tomorrow.
Quirky sheep warning barriers
Preserving a facade by supporting it with shipping containers
Tangled rebar on a building support
Rhonda Bracey: At Random 
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