Real Mountains

Nov. 18

I awoke to my last breakfast with Denis and Pam. They have been so friendly and warm and invited me into their home and family – what a lovely way to be introduced to NZ. This morning Denis made his special fried banana and French toast and bacon breakfast for me. It was really special and since finding out I was in the restaurant business he has been feeling really pressured. It’s cute. I also had two more of the NZ flat creams, large cappuccinos. I just love the name and the foam and Pam sprinkles chocolate on top and I even add a little sugar – that is sooo weird for me. I’m becoming kiwi –ized. 

I was getting ready to leave and Denis was very nicely taking all my bags, including the new one I had to buy, to my car when he happened to ask me if I had my passport. I had completely forgotten about it since I arrived. I vaguely remembered doing something with it, but couldn’t place it exactly. I started searching the most likely places in my bags, while they searched my room and old suitcase. No luck. I felt a little trickle of panic, I hate getting old! Pam had to leave for an appointment and Denis waited while I searched. I felt incredibly foolish. I couldn’t find it and finally decided it must be in one of the big suitcases and I would just tear that apart at the next stop. I hugged Denis and programmed Mrs. Tomtom and left Christchurch behind.

I headed south over the Canterbury plains travelling along long flat fields dotted with the soft cream of sheep everywhere. I crossed the Rakaia River on NZ’s longest bridge and noticed once again that they like to name culverts. Yes, that’s right, the pipes that go under the roads all have names such as McNeely’s Culvert, Fox Hill Culvert #2, Ratikki Culvert, and so on. How would you like a culvert named after you? Come to New Zealand! And guess what else? Those really were hills I drove over yesterday. As I drive along the Canterbury plains I look to my right and there rising from the flats are huge, brown jutting mountains, some with a little snow still covering them. I wonder how I am going to get over them. I also notice lots of yellow bushes and realize I am seeing the source of the sprinkled saffron on the mountain tops yesterday. These are thick scrub brush with heavy profusions of gorgeous yellow gold blossoms that absolutely blanket whole areas of the mountain face. I had to pull over and take a picture. I realize how blessed I am to be here at this time of year and see this bounty of spring blossoms and smell the amazing variety of perfumes in the air.

I realized the ground was slowly rising and the road was twisting and I was driving pretty darn fast for a novice Leftie on a mountain road. I even got frustrated by a slow person in front of me and found my speedometer over 100!  Without realizing it I was in the mountains and the road took a huge loop and there in front of me was a magnificent snow covered mountain range. Not softly rolling hills or rounded tops, but jutting perfect triangles just like we drew as kids, all covered with snow and shining in a sun that was far from me. The great Mt Cook, at 12,348 feet, beckoned from afar. I sped over the twisting, rolling mountain roads finding and then losing my views of the mountains. It was a chase that compelled me to speed for some reason. Silly, but true. Once I rounded a corner and literally put on the brakes.  I hit a flat area and when I came around the bend both sides of the road were filled with blooming Lupine in all colors and the mountain range with snow caps was framed by this bounty. It was breathtaking and I once again had to take a photo.

 As I continued on I came to Lake Tekapo which sits on the near side of the mountain range and literally mirrors the range. A church of local stone is built upon its shores as a memorial to the pioneers of this Mackenzie Country area. You look through the entrance and see the mountain range beyond for a truly spiritual experience. I found my B&B above the town and was shown to my room by Sandy a woman not nearly as nice as Pam and pretty much all business and no warmth. She just sort of pointed me toward town. My room has wonderful views of the mountains and a door to the patio and yard so I am sitting facing the mountains as I type. I went into town and down to the Church of the Good Shepherd as it is called.  It is sensationally situated overlooking the lake, but more than that, the land running down to the lake is filled, filled with Lupines of every color. People were going nuts taking pictures of these Lupines. I probably took 50; and then 50 more of the mountains reflected in the lake. Serious camera buffs were in heaven. After awhile most the people left and I picked my way over the rocks and made it down to the shoreline. I sat on a rock for about 25 minutes and just contemplated the beauty and the serenity of this spot. No wonder they put a church here, you can’t see all of this and believe it was just coincidence. God is so entirely present in nature. As I sat there not a thing moved on or in the lake, no sounds came from the shores, no movement anywhere. Everything quieted just for me. Me and God.  Another great intro to New Zealand.