Day 14, March 29, 2016

Today was the last day where we changed towns. We woke up in Hanmer and ended up in Christchurch, from where we'll fly home in a couple of days.

We were slow getting started but got checked out of the hotel by 1000. I drove the car a block and parked it in front of the pools while we went and got breakfast. We've gotten to the point where we have to order for the boys from the adult menu because kids portions are not cutting it.

We then went and swam for two hours. It was cold that early, dawn is late this far south this late in the season. We started in the hot pools then moved down by the water slides so Owyn could ride for awhile. He spent an hour on the slides while Rhys hung out with us in the warm pool. We then went and played in the big pool for awhile and ended in the hot pool again.

It was a two hour ride from the hot springs to our hotel in Christchurch. We are right across the street from the big park in town. Our hotel has a mini kitchen and two bedrooms; we'll be here for the next two nights.

I was stealing some of Owyn's noodles and we both had the same one. No one was backing down.

We chilled for an hour then walked down the street to the local mall. On the way there Rhys melted down so we stopped in a Korean noodle shop and got the boys a bowl of fresh noodles and a Welch's grape soda, which was a revelation to them. Owyn was shocked to learn that they existed and that we have them in the US and he has never seen it. New favorite there.

We then wandered through the mall and Tracy finally found the ear rings she's been looking for since we got here; silver and jade.

During our walk we'd also been sussing out the local restaurants for dinner. Once we got back to the room we looked at reviews and I decided that I wanted Korean for my birthday. We went to Eden Alley and it was amazing. We got our own little room, the food was great and I was finally able to share with Tracy some of the Korean things I'd talked about all the times I went over there.

Owyn ate bulgogi and Rhys ordered, and ate, spicy and sweet chicken. Tracy and I both ordered bibimbop. Owyn powered through his but we brought home Rhys' and Tracy's for breakfast tomorrow. It was a great end to my birthday.