Guess what? We went to jail today in Christchurch, New Zealand!  I didn’t do anything wrong and was put in a jail?! Ha-ha. It was a jail built in 1874 and was used up until 1999 as a jail for men. It is now a hostel where travelers can stay from all over the world. Last summer I toured Alcatraz and was nervous about staying in a prison, but it was nothing like Alcatraz.

A hostel is like a hotel, except you only have a room to sleep in (or a bunk). You share a bathroom and a large kitchen with all the guests in the building.

Warden Julia checked us in and we took mug shots.

“Don’t mess with this prisoner!”

Hedwig is in jail too.

A family in jail together, stays together.

In the kitchen, you get to see how people from all over the world cook their food. It’s a great way to get to know people.

Prisoners have to clean too.

I also learned the history of the jailhouse. The jail was still being used 16 years ago to keep the prisoners of Christchurch. At one point it was used as a women’s jail too.

Some rooms were kept the same as it was when the prison was used, so you can see what they drew on the walls.  They also left some of the objects used by people who worked there, like a police cap or a doctor’s journal.

Ollie was in jail too.

When you go to New Zealand, you really should go to this jail.

I guess I wasn’t that bad, because they let me out the next day to go to Antartica, so ——-

Stay tuned for more from your Jr. World Trek Reporter!

Keep Calm and Travel Around the World!