2WB

11 years ago today I sheltered beneath my work desk in central Christchurch as the world shook and shuddered around me. Luckily I survived physically unscathed.

The earthquake at 12.51pm resulted in 185 deaths and thousands of injuries; millions of dollars worth of damage to buildings, infrastructure and utilities; and irrevocable disruption to the lives of many people who experienced that and the thousands of subsequent earthquakes which shook us for years afterwards.

Some people are still fighting for insurance settlements on damaged property, in scandalous examples of disorganisation and of big business riding roughshod over ordinary people.

It was - and remains - a disaster which made me count my lucky stars. I avoided the worst of the effects, despite needing to leave the area five years later, in order to look after my mental health and get away from the threat of future ‘quakes.

Kia kaha Christchurch.


Bean and I walked twice today. First at Bortons Pond and down to the very full Waitaki River here in today’s Blip. As usual there was nobody else there. Then after lunch we walked to Paradise Gully Road, where the main canine excitement was chasing a wild kitten up a tree.