Heart stealer
Christchurch, New Zealand:
Oh, Christchurch, look what you’ve done. One day in and you’ve already stolen my heart.
My adorable hostel
Because here’s the truth guys — trying to not sound like a spoiled brat here — but I was getting a little down on Australia’s East Coast. Melbourne was fantastic, Sydney always a favorite but moving up the coast, one tiny beach town kind of ran into another. The farther north we moved, the less friendly many of the Aussies were (not all, but many!) and the less charming the towns were.
By the time we reached Cairns, I was kind of ready for this trip to be over and to move home already.
And then I landed in Christchurch.
Punting on the Avon
And fell in love. It’s the same flutters that struck the first time I visited London, the same butterflies as my 2009 Sydney trip. It kind of makes sense: I love London. Sydney is a London-San Francisco hybrid and Christchurch is basically MiniLondon.
I love being back in the city.
I love the English architecture.
Arts Centre
I love that apparently no one can understand my accent and everyone asks me to repeat myself… but I can understand them better than the Aussies.
I love that it’s cheaper here than Australia.
I love that every single person I’ve met — no, minus the completely indifferent girl working at the Arts Centre — has been super nice and friendly.
I love that my hostel is a converted 19th-century home that feels more like a B&B than budget accommodation. And has free WiFi. 
I love walking through the massive Botanic Gardens and smelling freshly-cut grass and flowers in bloom.
I love attending Evensong at somewhere as gorgeous as Christchurch Cathedral.
Inside Christchurch Cathedral
I love that I’ve barely scratched the surface of what there is to do here.
What city stole your heart? It’s always been DC and London but this is definitely an up-and-comer. 
You make me excited to visit New Zealand. I love how small and quaint it looks yet fantastically beautiful. Thanks for sharing the great pictures. I am still planning my epic adventure to that country…..years off but still.
The city that stole my heart was Munich. Honestly, after I boarded the train to Stuttgart, I swear a huge chunk of it was left looking at me on the tarmack in that adventurous city. Just loved it there.
So glad things are looking up! My favorite cities are DC and San Diego!
Gorgeous!
I love my HT of course (Pittsburgh) but I’ve adored DC every time I visit. I’d love to live there at some point in my life.
Oh wow! I never really thought about going to NZ until this post.
I love Paris (is that cliche?)
I’ve never had a city steal my heart
But then I’ve not been to that many places either. Amazing looking pics of CC.
Toss up….Sydney and Buenos Aries
Prague really hit me. Was thinking of applying to grad school there after I visited (in my grad school plan days…)
San Francisco, London, Sydney, Vancouver really hold a piece of my heart. =)
Funny how I really didn’t like Christchurch from the little I saw of it. Maybe I should have spent more than 2 hours of daylight there though…
Are you going to get to see Wellington? I hear that is fun. And I think you’ll like Auckland. Queenstown… minus the beautiful location… is way too much of a tourist town for me. But the beauty is magnificent.
Were you only here at night? I can see how that could be a downer — everything’s closed! No Wellington, heard mixed things, but want to visit Queenstown for the great surroundings.
London. Definitely. I also went to Vancouver when I was about 14 and loved it.
I’ll just admit my patriotic pride that you’re enjoying yourself so far in NZ!
With regards to the comment above, completely agreed that Queenstown is too tourist-y now (sadly; I remember what it used to be when I spent every summer there growing up) but the scenery can’t be beat. When are you heading to Dunedin? If I’m here and you’re ever interested in meeting up for a cup of tea or something, let me know. Enjoy the rest of your day!
london-SF hybrid? sounds cool! wow love your current location, beautiful!!
Oh, I’m so jealous!
I’m glad you’re having such a good time. Your pictures are gorgeous!
I’ll be cliche here and say that Venice and Florence definitely stole my heart a few summers back. Even so, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for gorgeous Boulder, CT
Sometimes when you are traveling for a while, you get down. Its okay, its natural – and you aren’t spoiled. Traveling is very challenging!
So happy you found a place to recharge.
I felt like that about the east coast of Australia. I loved the Whitsundays but Cairns was alright. Sydney was what really stole my heart. I just like the weather in Australia better haha.
Are you going to Dunedin in NZ? That “college town” totally stole my heart. I was sick so I stayed there an extra couple of days by myself and I just loved reading in the coffee shops and walking around the beautiful town!
beautiful pictures! I LOVE isreal, tel aviv and tzfat…the pictures, people scenes totally stole my heart!