Rather than have a daily blog devoted to going on about the earthquakes and recovery around it, I've deliberately kept my own counsel, (well apart from the odd posting and newspaper column in the NZHerald.)
I don't need to mention it's over 10,000 quakes and that the city is ... well destroyed. We know that. the suffering and issues faced by residents is amazing. Particularly in the near invisible east. The roads which have been repaired twice are now covered in bumps, breaks, have lost their tar seal and in many cases down to one lane.
From February I was keen to leave Christchurch. I realised the city I grew up in has gone. The economy is a mess. We've been planning a trip to Aussie with a view to seeing where we could move. I've been annoyed with some authorities, with a range of the issues and the ongoing shaking.
On Monday we had a rather vicious 5.5 (well 5.7 with earthquake inflation) that knocked everything over. Angry and annoyed I picked it all up got on with it. Later we had the 6.0 or 6.3 depending on what side of Colombo Street you're on.
It was when I was picking up everything for the second time (but with more breakages and damage) that something changed. I went from being angry to serene. Rather than having had enough I was riding the wave.
I'd describe my mood as Belligerent. No earthquake will make me leave. I won't let incompetence from any Council get me down. Bugger it.
A lot of people pay a lot of money to go on expeditions, live in tents in the cold, with no comforts, or embark on extreme sports. Camping is where you have very little and have to make do without your house and resources. Just like post-earthquake Christchurch.
I've got all that adventure in Christchurch for nothing (well for a lot actually but it's more loss of property value). It's like a long camping adventure.
And that changes everything.
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