New Zealand Odyssey: Weeks 25 &26, End-of-Summer Road Trip

Jen and I, sunset over New Brighton estuary, dumping spot of Christchurch's treated sewage. Beauty amongst the crud - aint that life!

  The psychology of road trips ought to be studied. The cycle of emotions seems consistent. First, getting out the door is always challenging enough that I wonder, 'Is this really worth it?'. And then after a day of driving, I find myself in some beautiful spot wondering, 'Why don't we do this more?' This early elation lasts for a while, and my appetite for sites and activities seems endless. But inevitably exhaustion and over-stimulus begin to creep in, leading to the inevitable low-energy periods of the trip. And then at some point, the end begins to exert its pull, forcing you to focus on what's in front of you, and the elation comes and goes as you experience new places and fun. Finally, on the journey home, a feeling of sweet melancholy settles in, because it was great to get away, and yet you have to return to normal life, which can't be lived with the same intensity.

We ended our New Zealand summer break this year with a road trip. We drove a loop, first north to Christchurch, then west to the West Coast, then south to Wanaka, and finally home. We did it in one action packed week.

First, we caught the last day of an art exhibit by world renowned contemporary sculptor Ron Mueck at the Christchurch Art Museum. It was a mind-altering exhibit: hugely ambitious, flawlessly executed, capturing the human in lifeless sculpture (christchurchartgallery.org.nz/exhibitions/ron-mueck). The quality and affect of the work brought to mind the experience of seeing the great sculptures of Michelangelo in Italy this past summer. I left the museum inspired to do my best in my own small niche of human endeavor. This is what great art does and is one reason why it's important.

Ron Mueck sculpture. This one is about 5 times life size. The sculpture suggests that the vulnerability captured in the man's expression and body language are universal, which I find a powerful statement.



Ellie at the Christchurch Art Museum.

We spent our first night at a holiday park in the Christchurch beach community of New Brighton and surfed in the morning (it was a choice day) before heading west up into the mountains at Arthur's Pass. We camped near the renowned rock climbing spot Castle Hill and did a bit of climbing. This area brings to mind Montana: high and dry and relatively devoid of people.



Ellie climbing at Casle Hill


The next day, we happened upon Cave Stream, which was one of the best surprises of our NZ travels. After donning our wetsuits, we walked for 20-30 minutes upstream with our headlamps shinning through the complete dark of the cave, coming out the other end.  Need I say more. It was a ball.

Ellie in Cave Stream

After that good fun, we drove to the West Coast and a small bach (the Kiwi word for cabin) in the small artsy community of Hokitika. We spent two nights there, relaxing at the bach and exploring the area. Alex and I surfed a few times -- the surf was calm and fun -- and Jen and Ellie worked on a driftwood sculpture for a local competition the town was having that week.


Surfing from the Bach door.

From Hokitika, over the next two days, we drove south and saw both Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers, two major tourist attractions. These were the low energy days, and though we found the glaciers beautiful, they didn't quite compare with the previous 'off the beaten path' experiences that we'd had.

Ellie looking grown up at Fox Glacier.

Our last stop-off on the trip was Wanaka, which is in central Otago. Most Montanans would find Central Otago familiar: dry, mountainous, with clear air and beautiful scenery. We rock climbed for two days at Hospital Flat, which was great fun, explored the town, and met up with some friends for dinner one night. Wanaka left me hungry for a speedy return.

Alex climbing at Wanaka



Alex and Ellie on Lake Wanaka.

On the drive home, from Wanaka to Dunedin, we stopped at our landlady's place in Alexandra and picked a bunch of apricots. It's good to have reminders that it's summer here!