Dear Editor,

I have never been very keen on Australia. Snakes, sharks and poisonous spiders, busy, hot cities, remote, outback towns, vast expanses of nothingness. Australia is a nanny state full of restrictions, rules and limits.

I flew into Sydney for the 5th Ashes Test Match. The cricket was disastrous, the heat excessive but the ground and the occasion were pure magic. No braying from triumphant locals, lively entertainment from The Barmy Army and The SCG reeked of history and those classic games of the past. Sydney was a joy. Paddington with those delightful Victorian terraced, wrought iron decorated houses, Bondi with its conspicuous youth policy, Bellevue with its smart homes with vast garages and Double Bay punching a price for desirable dwellings; all sang loudly for the merits of Sydney.
The food was sensational. Australia seems as obsessed as we are with cooking programmes, recipe magazines and the quest for outstanding cuisine. We certainly found it.

I flew to Christchurch, New Zealand thinking very differently. Is there a city in the world that matches Sydney? English speaking, cricket playing, outdoor living, the tops in food, relatively safe even from terrorists at present, a growing economy, a vibrant, youthful population, a national pride and confidence with a belief in person and state. Expensive but jobs are generally well paid and I never saw a snake, a shark or a poisonous spider whilst I was there.

In contrast, poor old Christchurch is still reeling from the 2010/2011 earthquakes and numerous after shocks. Buildings are appearing out of the rubble, some of the CBD replacements look imaginative, others merely practical. The City is determined not to fall behind its rivals and consequently some rebuilds are accepted as a means of keeping business and finances going. The Cathedral in the city centre has lain abandoned ever since the major quakes. The spire collapsed and the rest rocked and rolled. Miraculously no one was killed. It was a popular spot for tourists and locals alike, especially in the middle of a summer’s day. The authorities have at last decided to replace the old with the old. A rebuild exactly sized and shaped as the last. Alas The Cathedral was far from handsome. It was a very average late Victorian pile. The decision does not match the attitude of Kiwis who are creative, progressive and dynamic. They embrace change, enjoy new challenges. They are not a religious nation.
The splendid temporary cardboard cathedral is seldom full, the impressive Roman Catholic Cathedral is now a pile of bricks and many of the destroyed Anglican churches have made way to Asian and oriental places of worship on their sites. Surely now, the country that gave the vote to women more than twenty years before the UK should show similar initiative and display ecumenical parity by building a splendid, modern construction full of light and brightness, bold in style, practical in use and unifying in its purpose. New Zealand would be making another powerful statement to the world.

Despite the hardships, those with newly built homes have far improved dwellings. The imaginative architects and construction companies given sensible building permission have treated the city to many award winning designs. Christchurch is on the mend. Tourist numbers are increasing, the cruise ships slip into Akaroa Harbour and unload inquisitive travellers. Camper vans and mobile homes cruise the highways and back roads. New hotels are filling and Christchurch has that restored step of confidence about it. New Zealand is still at the top of the world’s most popular holiday destinations and Christchurch is back on the tourists’ map. That said, mild tremors do occur; I have felt a few this month and the earth has not settled down. Despite that we have the World Buskers’ Festival in town, also the Under 19 World Cup Cricket Competition, The National Beer Festival, sports in the parks, music concerts, food fairs, outdoor theatres, long stretches of sandy beaches, lazy days by The River Avon and a heat wave. Even the Kiwi beer has improved and some of those Pinot Noirs are heavenly. Not a bad place to be. No snakes, no sharks and no poisonous spiders but it’s hard to beat Sydney.

Best wishes,

Nigel Wheeler.