Still running south
I still got some blogging on the north island to catch up on in addition to my first week on the south island, in addition to adding the photos.
I just churned this entry out tonight when I had a rare internet opportunity.
It took me a while to clear Christchurch. I ran with a bit of sadness having just visited the center of the city to see what looked like a war zone. The devastation from the fallout of the February 2011 earthquake in which some 160 people lost their lives, homes, business not to mention all the jobs and economic losses. It was a surreal scene walking through the devastation through a city center ripped apart at the seams. Many people were walking around with cameras, last time I experienced such a sadness was when I visited the scene of New York’s former Twin Towers.
It seems the only winner is surely the construction industry which have a 20 year rebuild time frame. Many elderly have upped and left, they obviously cant wait for services as many young are prepared. I read that many construction firms cant get enough workers and rely on backpackers to fill the many vacancies. These construction agencies are advertising in Ireland and the UK at employment expos. I have been told there is a huge Irish community here working on the rebuild.
That night I made it to Rolleston 28km run after such a late start. I slept behind the BP petrol station on their picnic bench. I left my pack in the office just in case.
The next morning I was having a casual conversation with a very nice couple who said the were going to Ashburton on business, 50km away they said and after I asked them to drop my pack off at the BP station there I realized it was 61!
I always carry my summer sleeping bag in a waterproof bag slung around my shoulder, just in case I don’t make my destination. People may wonder at me handing over my possessions to strangers. Well I dont have many valuables in the pack, more the inconvenience of replacing them should I make a mistake. I usually ask someone who I have already been talking to and say how much I appreciate their help, photo them saying its for the blog with registration number of the vehicle if possible. I usually ask them to text me the drop off location and have them ring my phone there and then so as I can save their number, just in case I have a problem. Having said that I don’t always do all this, it depends on the situation but I have become an astute judge of character and am finding people only too delighted to help when I tell them what I am doing. After I get their drop off text I reply saying they have done more than their bit to help me run around the world 
That days run to Asdhburton was a tough slogger of a day. After about 32km I came to the Rakaia river which meant I had to run over New Zealands longest bridge, a very narrow 2km bridge which had me sprinting between the gaps of heavy traffic. This was pretty scary stuff as often I had to jump off the bridge and onto the half meter pedestrian footpath whenever a vehicle approached. The fun started when trucks came from the front as well as the back. Everyone was in good spirits, the only honk I got was a ‘ good on ya matey ‘ honk from a trucker that held back from behind to let an advancing truck pass. I couldn’t help reflecting on those terrible drivers of southern Peru. Had this been there I would have been blasted off the bridge!
Over the bridge and into a cafe I went for a double one, no not whiskey, an ice cream which I felt I deserved. I had been fairly worried about this bridge and many others in New Zealand, this one in particular and this was the reason I did not take Nirvana with me across New Zealand.
That night I slept under fir trees in a park in Ashburton, shattered!
February 13th, 2013 at 4:35 pm
Glad to hear you crossed the bridge safely and you did deserve the double (ice-cream) after that scary experience. Continue to enjoy and share your tales with us. “Good on ya matey”!!!
February 14th, 2013 at 9:41 pm
Hi all text fromTony to say…. 53k yesterday total 26.523 km in 628 road days pls post x:-)x
February 15th, 2013 at 12:39 am
Hey Tony—-you are nearing Oamaru the place that I tried to get Liz to move to—-great little town, and some terrific seaside landscape—-obviously my endeavors didn’t work or I would be hosting you for at least a couple of evenings—oh well—-sounds like NZ is going very smoothly–glad to hear that—
hope all else is well—–good running—Greg
February 15th, 2013 at 8:32 am
Hi All. Yes Greg will get there tomorrow. I am about 30km short. Tonight Friday I am staying on Jeff and Glenda’s farm. Nice people they took me inside for a bed for the night, fed me a delicious dinner when I stopped by just before a rain shower to ask if I could sleep in their barn.
and also thanks to all those helping move my pack along the road.. Friday 43km, Thursday 53km Total 26,566km for 629 road days. Also many thanks to Alan Knox’s cousin Brian for his invite in Wyndham, Paul and Grace for offer in Inverscargill. Roughly 370km left to run on the South Island, I expect to have NZ run by the 23/24th Feb without a rest day!Tomorrow Sat will be a new record 30 days straight on the run, I’m loving it like…. a huge whopper 
Also on Wednesday I stopped in the Chequered Flag Cafe Bar in Rangitata just for a snack. The Dutch and English owners Cor and Linda offered me a bed for the night. Many thanks to all