The Earthquake and Other Disasters

Saturday 4 September 2010

The start of this day was an interesting one. I couldn't get to sleep until around 4:00 am. There was a major party going on downstairs and we had very thin walls. People were so loud, and I am a really light sleeper. So I didn't sleep until everyone else went to bed. Then I was awakened by my phone going off just before 5:00 am. Alison had texted me, asking if I was okay. I read on and found out that there was a 7.4 earthquake in Christchurch. I texted her that I didn't actually feel it and was okay. Then, I got a text an hour later from one of my bosses asking if I was okay. I tried going back to sleep after all these interruptions, but then one of my roommates got up a little later. So I just decided to get up and start getting ready to catch the bus. I got my breakfast and read for a while. Then I went on my way.

Something I forgot to mention was that I had sopping wet shoes and socks, so I have to wear my jandals (flip-flops) as well as my pyjamas. It was really cold outside and I couldn't feel my feet after a while of walking. I made it to the bus. The bus driver told me that, due to the earthquake, no buses were running down to Christchurch. Roads were damaged, water lines collapsed. He made it sound as if most of Christchurch was level. He told me to change my ticket inside the building. So I went inside and changed it to tomorrow.

I was so upset. I really wanted to go home and see my family (meaning my New Zealand family)! I walked to another bus line and asked the driver if there was any way of getting to Christchurch. He said they didn't even have contact with Christchurch, and all buses were down. I just sat and waited. The other bus already left, but this bus hadn't yet. I stayed until it would leave in case there was some chance of getting somewhere. About 15 minutes later, the bus driver came to me and said the bus had left Christchurch and would be returning. So I asked if I could purchase a ticket then and there. He said I could pay for his bus, but I would have to pay again for the other bus (I had to change buses midway). I said that was fine and boarded the bus. The driver contacted the headquarters and made sure I could go all the way to Christchurch, and they said that was fine. I was so relieved and just ready to be home. It had been a difficult trip, and I just wanted to be with people I know.

The bus ride was interesting. Everyone was quiet and anxious. Only seven of us were going to Christchurch, but you could tell all of us were anxious and wondering what we would be going to. When we got to Blenhiem (where I changed buses), I had about 3 hours before the next bus. I didn't know what to do, so I just walked back and forth trying to use some of the adrenaline pumping through my veins. The bus finally came, and I told the driver that I needed to buy a ticket. He said the bus was full, and he may not be able to take me! I said the other bus driver already contacted headquarters, and they said it was okay. He finally agreed, and I quickly boarded the bus. I was not about to stay there.

I went in the very back. There was one guy on one side, and a guy and a girl on the other side. There were two other seats left, so I sat next to the guy and left the middle open. Then a very...large lady sat in the middle seat. Well, actually, she sat in the seat and on me as well. I shifted over very close to the guy next to me. Every time this lady moved, I had to move closer to the guy. None of us had any personal space, let me tell you. It also didn't help that in each stop, she got out to smoke. So...I had absolutely no room, I was getting way to close to the guy next to me, and I was getting sick from the smell of smoke. I put my hand up to my nose to try to block the smell. When the lady left, I got a very meaningful look from the girl on the other side and some not so very hidden smiles from the guys by the windows.

We stopped in Kaikoura for 1/2 hour, and I got asked if I was wearing pyjamas. Fun times. Anyway, we finally got to Christchurch. People kept asking the bus driver where we would stop. It really annoyed him. He had no idea where he would be able to stop, because there were constant aftershocks. After each aftershock, there was more damage. The bus driver was getting more and more reckless. He was fine in the beginning, but the closer we got to Christchurch, the more he slammed on his breaks and slammed on the gas. We were all getting headaches from the constant stop and go. Roads were closed, and he didn't know how far he could take us. As soon as we were in the suburbs, we were all silent and staring. It was hard to tell, at first, what was due to the earthquake and what was normal. Then we could tell immediately what was done by the earthquake. People would point constantly.

I apologise for not having pictures yet. Alison has quite a few pictures, so I will upload them to show you. For now I will just describe. Many roads are blocked. The asphalt is broken apart, pushed together, or dropped out leaving holes. Heaps of chimneys have collapsed. Sides of houses and buildings have holes from bricks falling. A couple roofs have holes in them. Windows are smashed. Silt is everywhere, and some of them look like volcanoes. There are two serious injuries, but no deaths. The fact that it happened at 4:35 am helped. If it was later in the day, people could have been majorly injured with all the bricks falling and all that.

We were dropped off a couple kilometers from where we were supposed to be dropped off. I texted Alister, and he came and picked me up. I felt vulnerable waiting for him. I was all alone and it was dark. People were walking around with luggage. One of the guys on my bus had to go to the university, but had no way of getting there. None of the city buses were running, and he had to go through sections that were blocked off. It is 30 kilometers away, so I have no idea how or if he got there. I felt so bad for him. I was so relieved to see Alister walking toward me. It had been a very taxing day. He gave me a huge hug and told me that he, Anne, and Alison were at the Civil Defence place where people who have lost homes could come to get food and figure out what to do. I went with him and got hugs from Alison and Anne. I shared all that had happened to me. They told me there were so many aftershocks. I was able to eat dinner. Then I helped serve some of the people who were there. Most of the people there actually hadn't lost there homes, but needed to be with people. People just kind of stood around not knowing what to do. I was so glad to be with family.

We stayed until 9:30, then returned home. I got to check my email for the first time, and had so many lovely notes from people asking how I was. Some of you wrote and asked about me, and I just want to thank you for that.

I felt a couple aftershocks, before going to bed. It has been an incredibly long day. Anne and Alister have to get up at 6:00 am to serve breakfast. There is no Church tomorrow, because the city is blocked off and the plumbing is down. The water is not safe to drink out of the tap. We have to boil the water 3 minutes before drinking it. We actually lost power for a while. We lost water, then got it back, then lost it again. So I was not able to take a shower. We have to use hand sanitiser and are not able to flush the toilet. It is going to be interesting.

Anyway, Alison and I volunteered ourselves to help for breakfast. Anne and Alister told us "no", because they wanted us to get our sleep, but we told them we really wanted to help if we could be used. So it is 6:00 am for us tomorrow, but we were not finished with tonight. We had to get a Father's Day present taken care of for Alister. We though of 15 reasons why we could call Alister "Dad" and wrote them down. We had fun doing it. We also got him a mug and some lollies he likes. Then we set it out on the table, where he always sits in the morning. We said we wouldn't go out until we knew he had seen it. We are pretty excited about it.