CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND

Over 150 years ago some hardy English settlers scrambled up the steep slopes of the Bridle Path to the summit of the Port Hills and looked down on their new home, a vast stretch of unattractive muddy swampland. It must have been a discouraging sight after such an arduous journey. Those early settlers would be amazed if they were to stand at the same vantage point today. The swamps have been drained and the water now runs to the sea through two orderly rivers, the Avon and the Heathcote, while houses have filled vast flat areas and are steadily climbing the hills.

Nowadays few people arrive on sailing ships, most fly into Christchurch international airport. On a fine day they enjoy a panoramic view of the city, lying on the edge of the Canterbury Plains; bound to the east by the Pacific coastline, to the south by the hills of Banks Peninsula, and to the west by the mountains of the Southern Alps. As the plane circles lower, newcomers can see the expansive Hagley Park, and the reason... more