Like no other place on Earth.........

View from plane window coming into Queenstown, South island

August 12th-22nd

Nothing could have prepared us for the beauty that awaited in New Zealand…… But first we go back to the week leading up to our departure. After driving a full day from Port Pirie late in the afternoon we arrived in Adelaide. Being a big city it took a while to find a caravan park, but we eventually did though, but not at a bargain for $35 per night.  Amanda celebrated her 26th Birthday.  What was meant to be a couple of hours downtown Adelaide turned into a full day of treats. Some new clothes, 2 sets of heavy duty winter skiing gloves which we found at Rip Curl store, a nice lunch, a cookies and cream frapachino from Australia’s Tim Hortons, Gloria Gean’s made the end to a great birthday afternoon.
The next day spirits were high. After driving all the way through the Nullarbor some 1,100 kms on a pretty barren highway, today was the day we would set off to New Zealand. An 11 day trip with many ideas of adventures just waiting for us. We would eventually get to Queenstown but that came with a slight price, an overnight stay on a food court bench in the Aukland airport. After parking Sully in the long term parking and transfering the surf board from the roof to inside the van we flew from Adelaide to Sydney with a five hour stop there. Then to Aukland, where in the morning due to a combination of events mainly the fact we couldn’t figure out the layout of the airport and also the electronic boarding pass machines were out of order, we missed our flight! So lucky for us, with no fees we got onto the next flight to Queenstown. Whatever was going to happen we were not going to miss New Zealand!

Out the window of the plane coming into Queenstown, on the South Island, was the most incredible view of the many rolling snow covered mountains. That was a very special view on such a clear morning. We got off the plane not in the usual way, into the terminal but right into the fresh air. Walking to the airport the air was crisp and fresh, the mountains closely hugging around us on all sides. There in the bright airport we shopped around at 6 different car rental stands which was very convenient. It pays to shop around as I’m sure you know. We got a great deal. With no money down or deposit and half the price of the competitors, we got a silver four door Kia Getz. Next the chain fitting demo. “You’re Canadian, you shouldn’t have any problem”, the attendant smiled and told us as he demonstrated how to fit a flimsy looking bundle of metal chains over a tire mounted on a stand.   Since there isn’t enough snow in the winter season to justify snow tires these chains must be fitted, usually only at the bases of skiing mountains where there is the most snow.

Driving into Queenstown it reminded us of Alberta and B.C. The town is small, quiet and has a sense that everyone who lives there is loving where they live. Though having a reputation for a bit of a party town, our time there we observed that all the young people have a good time but respect the beautiful surroundings they so luckily get to call home.

View of town from Queenstown track

With no time to waste we had eleven days now minus the traveling. We found a very nice motel to stay one night before we would be able to check into our Wanaka resort which Amanda’s mum had given her yet again. Another week from her timeshare, this time for her Birthday (she is a pretty spoiled girl). From our hotel room Nick called his good friend, Alex from when he worked for Mission Australia and planned the rest of the afternoon. We would soon find out the phone company for our cell phone in Australia is not the same as New Zealand. Which makes using a pay phone very hard to use these days when none of them take actual coins anymore!!!

We met Alex at the famous Cookie Time store. The bags with the logo of cookie monster seal in delicious giant chocolate chip cookies. Then it was off to another local favourite Alex told us about, Ferg Burger.   Showing up and seeing the line out the door, Alex also told us this was the trend at the tiny burger parlour. We each ordered something different - Alex of course, having tried them all, gave us his critique. We didn’t think we had ever eaten a bigger hamburger.  There was definitely no need for dinner that night! Also can’t leave out that we bought some very delicious fudge, peanut butter and also crème brulee. Alex showed us around town and we stopped for awhile to enjoy the view on the lake.
The next days were packed with activities as we wanted to maximize our short time there. Nick started the next day with a ‘Canadian breakfast’ at a local café. After we went for a walk on the Queenstown Track, privately owned land made open to the public by the owner. The views of Queenstown along this walk were unbelievable. We couldn’t get over what a special place New Zealand was and this was only our 2nd day!

FROLF

After the walk we met up with Alex again and he showed us how to play FROLF. Who would have ever guessed we would have been playing Frisbee golf in a park by the Queenstown lake in New Zealand!! For everyone who hasn’t played it’s the same rules as golf with 9 holes except your driver is now a neon coloured Frisbee!
That night we drove a quick 1 hour from Queenstown to Wanaka. In our peppy little Getz we were loving the short distances between towns. We were in no hurry to return to Australia’s, at times week long journeys.  The resort was wonderful. Complete with all the little things we had missed so much - blender, toaster, microwave, even a heated towel rack!

The next two days we were told that Wanaka and area was going to be hit with a pretty good snowstorm. But that didn’t stop us much. We hiked Mt. Iron, told to us a must see, where we would see views of the town and Lake Wanaka. This was definitely a perfect stop to come on a daily basis. We saw a few dog walkers, as they passed we knew they were locals. This would be one of the many great spots you could come every day.

That Sunday night we had a lovely meat and vegetable dinner in the resort’s cozy firelit dining room. After, as the snow came down we settled in, heated blankets blazing and watched A Christmas Carol. We couldn’t help but laugh because it was after all August 14th!

We started the week off in true NZ fashion, our first day at the slopes. After the storm settled it was perfect conditions. Nick, after some struggle got those chains on the two front tires, though not without getting his hands dirty from all the cow patties we had driven through the day before. But carefully packed paper towel took care of that! Though they had to be taken off to only have to put them back on again at the base of Treble Cone ski mountain, that was no problem now - chain fitting had been mastered.
The ski hills of New Zealand are nothing like the ones in Canada. Most of the year in Kiwi country there isn’t much snow or if any, in town and around the base of the mountains. So you could easily drive for 20 minutes to get to the top of that 900 foot ski slope. We got our first experience of this that morning. The road is incredibly steep and winding.  Now driving on the left side, going up Amanda got a great view almost straight down! No guard rails, just the odd snowbank keeping you from the edge.

There at Treble Cone, only 15 minutes away from Wanaka, Nick enjoyed himself on what he said could have been one of the best snow board conditions he had ever rode on. While in between runs he chatted with the locals about our famous ski slopes out west, Amanda was getting her first snow board lesson. The lesson went pretty good, though the T bar would need some practice.

Treble Cone

The next day we met up with Alex again and his friend, Jay, in Queenstown to ski/board at The Remarkables. Only 10 minutes away just outside lies another incredible mountain with amazing views. Yet again up an even more steep hill this time with added fog to enhance your fear as the tiny compact four door clung to the edge. That day Amanda got introduced to the “magic carpet“, much more preferable than the T bar!

Snow kiting

The next day was something that Nick had been looking forward to since months before. After he got a taste of kite surfing in the Pacific Ocean on the west coast, he had been researching about snow kiteing. A fairly new concept of actually riding your board and kite - with the right wind conditions, up the slope and then boarding back down.  What an adventure on Old Man Range, in Alexandra that day would turn out to be. The van holding Nick, Amanda, the instructor and his partner plus one other student, Matt, right away got stuck in a snow/mud bank.  Well, of course that wasn’t going to stop those boys.  Leaving the van at the base of the mountain, it was going to be a lot more difficult than expected to get the snowmobile up when there was hardly any snow. It took about 4 hours but the two girls walked up the mountain and the boys got rides on the snowmobile.  There was a great reward at the top - the view. Not only that, but the boys right away were pros at snow kiteing.  Those two Canadian kids couldn’t believe that on that day in August they were in New Zealand snow kiteing and watching that peaceful view of mountain after snow covered mountain.

The next morning was a 6 am wake up for the 7:30 am balloon ride at 6,200 feet over the mountains surrounding Queenstown. Upon arriving all 12 passengers watched as things got under way - the balloon was unravelled and the basket stood up. Everyone was nicely packed shoulder to shoulder in the basket. Going up on that perfectly clear morning, nothing could be heard except for the occasional blow of hot air. This was definitely a great way to see New Zealand.  The pilot even pointed out the famous mountains that were featured in Lord of the Rings. After landing everyone was all smiles as we sipped champagne and ate fancy danishes, but not before the pilot did the ceremonial practice of initiating everyone into the special balloon flying club. This was a dip of the champagne on the cork and then dabbed on the forehead! Wow - another incredible day!

Our last ski hill was at Mt. Hutt. A 6 hour drive from Queenstown just outside of Methven which is a short hour drive from Christchurch, our final destination on our wonderful NZ trip. This hill was great for Nick being intermediate and perfect for Amanda with great beginner lessons, her third. Nick even tried the luxury enclosed magic carpet with delayed playback video of everyone on the kiddie slope! Later that night we drove till we found a vacant hotel which happened to be all the way to  Christchurch airport.  After the earthquake that hit Christchurch, the city center was closed and being the peak season for winter sports, it was hard to find somewhere to stay.

Antarctica Center, Christchurch

On our last day before we had to catch our flight back to Australia, we visited the famous Antarctic Center. Nick said it was his favourite museum/interactive center he had been to on both trips combined.  There was a 4D movie which took you on a tour of  the Antarctic via boat, complete with moving seats, smells and getting splashed when the boat hit an iceberg!  There were blue penguins being fed. A ride on a Hagglund, a special snow transport vehicle took you through 6 feet of water and up steep hills. A sign showed the day’s forecast at the Russian base, a freezing -74 C.  A room simulated a blizzard at a balmy -8 C (no need for us to go in there having lived in Calgary).  A lot of information was displayed about the research and living conditions at the NZ base in the Antarctic.

We truly had a great trip. We packed something new and exciting into every day on that 11 day trip. From the amazing hikes to the snow boarding to the special experience of a hot air balloon ride, we really enjoyed it. People in NZ are wonderful, happy, hard working people who really care about their country and keeping it a very unique place.  In the short time we had, we felt connected to New Zealand in the same way as Canada’s amazing landscapes, fresh air, wildlife and freedom can have such an impact on one’s life and wellbeing.  We will definitely be back again one day.