It has been 10 years since the Christchurch earthquake hit, the first one, and the time has certaintly gone quickly.
I had arrived in Chch the day before (!) having flown in from Sydneytown where I'd been helping out on Tony Abbott's election campaign a couple of week's earlier.
First time I had been back in Christchurch since departing in Jan '99; great timing Eli! haha!
The thing which was chilling is I had been at the Menfriends gay sauna rooting a couple of boys I'd met on the flight over, until about 1:45am.
Then wandered down Manchester street to Worcester, then into the Square and my hotel.
I avoided death - (Manchester street between Armagh and St Asaph was completely anniliated) - by an hour at most! eeekkkkk!
You may recall Simon Dallow conducting his live broadcasts for Channel One News on Manchester street, outside what had been a jewellers? remember that? Let me tell you it didn't do justice to what had occurred in that part of town.
Try to visualize, say, Featherston st in Wellington, or Wellesley st in Auckland being leveled; gone; entirely turned to rubble, and you get the general idea.
Did make me feel fortunate.
Anyone got memories of the quakes?