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"Why I love Christchurch"
 I came to New Zealand from Australia for a three-week skiing holiday in the winter of
’96, fell in love with Christchurch and never left. There are just so many things to
do here if you enjoy the outdoors.
In winter I spend as much time as possible in the
mountains skiing and snowboarding. With seven ski areas within two hours drive of
Christchurch you have plenty to choose from. I especially like going to the club fields
where the skiing is fantastic, the people are friendly and lift tickets cheap.
During the
summer you can go surfing, mountain biking, fishing, kayaking, tramping or whatever you
feel like doing — everything is within easy reach of town. You just have to get out
there and take advantage of what the region has to offer and you’ll never get bored.
I work at the airport and like to ride my bike to work. It’s easy and safe, due to
the excellent cycle lanes and tracks all through the city. Christchurch also has lots of
good restaurants, cafes and bars, which are up there with the rest of the world’s
establishments. All in a place big enough to be a city yet personal enough to be called a
town.
There are not many places on earth where you can go skiing, mountain biking and
surfing all in a lovely clean, green environment and that’s something to be
appreciated. The saying goes ‘‘ home is where the heart is’’ and my
heart is definitely in Christchurch.
— Mark Timmermans, outdoors enthusiast
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