Commentary by Rick Rodriguez
The Pilot announced that we were not going to be able to land in Queenstown! I breathed a sigh of relief because the plane was bouncing around in the sky for all of the 30 minutes we had been in the air! We were in the mountains and I wondered if we would land or this would be the end of the road for yours truly! Nevertheless, I felt no real fear until we landed and the prospect of another flight in the same direction sounded less appealing. Figuring I had dodged a bullet, I decided to hire a vehicle and trek through the South Island of New Zealand by car rather than fly down with my comrades to Queenstown!
So, as my buddies qued up for another flight, I snuck over to Hertz and ascertained the damage to take a car from Christchurch and leave it in Queenstown. A couple of gulps later I was in small compact headed South. I made the right turn onto the Highway on the right side of the vehicle and began my 5 hour trip through the mountains of the South Island of New Zealand! Obviously, I had no clue where I was headed but the Hertz guy had highlighted a nice map for me to follow.
I stopped in Geraldine, a small town, for some lunch and a bit of sightseeing. After meeting a nice gal at the sandwich shop, I wandered around town for a moment but I was eager to get going because I didn't want to get stuck in the mountains at night. So, I was off headed towards Lake Tekapo & Pukaki, a rather significant site on the map. Arriving, I was a bit overcome by the ice blue features of this slightly prodigious lake(s). At the moment, I was either overcome by its magnificence, or was suffocating from the crisp mountain air or cool temperature! Nonetheless, I grabbed my video camera and took in the sights, and I was nearing Mt. Cook, and for a minute, I thought I've got to get there! But, again, I wanted to get out of those mountains and get down to Queenstown and I was quite a bit out (3 hours) and mountain roads to travel.
So, after hanging around Lake Tekapo for a bit, I quickly got back on the road and continued my trek South. It was more than few times that I thought to myself " what the heck am I doing here?" And, "wondered who the heck knows I'm even here?" As I winded through the mountains, a greyish nebulous sky forming, I entered the Otago region and exited my vehicle for a few Polaroids. The mountains were a hilly humpbacks with a yellowish ground cover and it seemed odd. Though slightly intimidating, the humpbacks staring down at an intruder so far from home, I got my shots and stepped back into the perceived safety of my rented Toyota.
The day was slowly turning into early evening and despite my Don Quixote type intrepidness, I was climbing and only a perception of an idea on where I was headed. The Otago region is known, among other things, for their wine region but mostly what I saw was covered vines. I imagine that it gets cold up there but I can tell you from experience--try New Zealand wines--they're awesome! Many of the wines I tried were from local vintners. Many can't be found here!
I crept along winding through the mountain and while the road was well marked each turn was a new experience. I stopped in a small town for petrol and discovered I was still an hour out of Queenstown. As the downhill out of the mountains began, I noticed that a bustling river was adjacent to the road into town and in each turnout there was a cascade of water here and there. I stopped and captured a few shots and slowly as night fell I reached Queenstown.
I was somewhat relieved when I checked into The Millenium Hotel, my accommodations for the next week, and that my buddies I had left up in Christchurch had not arrived sooner than me despite a plane and bus ride. After I checked in, I discovered that their plane and bus ride had not got them into Queenstown as quickly as my escapade. So, actually, I got to see six hours of South Island New Zealand real estate from the ground rather than the air! That turned out to be special moment and time for me in New Zealand!
The next morning I teed it up at Jack Pointe's Golf Course. Here is a picture of the hole I started on!The mountains surrounding Queenstown are appropriately named "The Remarkables" and now I know why! It was a glorious week and equally remarkable trip to New Zealand's South Island!
Rick Rodriguez is a writer and is frequently published in opinion/editorial sections in local and national newspapers. Rick, a San Francisco Bay Area native and graduate of Saint Mary's College lives in Danville, California with his two children. Contact Rick at rrodriguez@pacunion.com or (510) 326-4795.
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