TDY Gouge - New Zealand

Christchurch, New Zealand - Chateau at the Park was a great hotel [03-348-8999] . Don't do the hotel bar on weekends unless you like the geriatric scene. (Cheap beer, though). ~Copthorne Commodore Hotel was very hospitable and clean hotel close to airport and downtown. Excellent bar and restaurant. Golf across the street at Russley CC. The Patterson Family goes out of the way to accommodate DOD travelers. Check out the free bus pass at front desk. Acceptable gym. Good pool/hottub.

• • Updated 7 Apr 08 by C-21 Pilot**

Just got back from Deep Freeze. Plenty to update. New contract hotel for C-17 crewmembers on DF is 5-Star Peppers Clearwater Resort (http://www.peppers.co.nz/Clearwater) - highly recommend trying to get there if you another mission there. Bring your clubs and fly fishing equipment. They happened to have the NZ PGA Championship there while we were staying...you can volunteer to work the event if your schedule allows. Taxi's downtown cost on average $35 each way. I would recommend that if you are going for the first time, you get in contact w/ the 62 or 446 OG/OGV folks and get the gouge.

The Belgium Beer Club is a must - over 30 Belgium premiums on tap, and decent food. For ANY big sporting event, the Holy Grail sports bar is a must. Fantastic pizza and cheap beer, all with a 50' HDTV to watch the game on - we happened to go during the SuperBowl - standing room only.

We also stayed at the Rydges Hotel our first night...definately not the Clearwater, but close to the nighttime action.