The chilly South Island of New Zealand

From the volcanic molten landscape of Rotorua in the North Island, we took a domestic flight to Christchurch, the largest city of the South Island, and started the really wintry portion of our trip.  We stayed in a very nice airport hotel Copthorne Hotel Commodore, where our rooms seemed to be incorporated into the center gardens (Christchurch is called The Garden City) through french windows. As we were just staying overnight, we immediately went to the Antarctic Centre where we observed miniature penguins through a glass window that looked through their underwater habitat.  As we watched them being fed, we were touched to witness how some penguins would grab the fish offerings and swam down to other penguins below, sharing their "catch". 

 We went into the Antarctic Room to frolic in the snow, after we put on winter garb provided by the centre.  Without the proper coverings (we had winter gloves, thick scarves and boots on our own, in addition to the winter coats of the centre), you freeze in a matter of minutes in that sub-zero icy room.  I was amazed at the resilience of the four little ones, sliding down the ice slide and playing in the igloo.  In a matter of minutes, I was out of there as my jaw was beginning to freeze up.

Sometimes I wonder -- like in that instant -- if my family line traces its way back to an Eskimo.  My sons so love the cold...now my four grandchildren are likewise natural snow-tizens.  Little Lizzie (Elizabeth Lianne -- not quite 4 years old!) would not have worn gloves if we did not force her into doing so. Mischievous Noah Inigo (5 years old) was wallowing in the falling snow and refused to get out. 

Then all of them went back to experience a minus-8 degrees blizzard for -- I don't remember now -- maybe 5 - 7 minutes? I saw them through the glass observation window, huddling in a circle with the four little ones in the center, as the snow swirled around them as the wind grew in strength.  Oh, I would never subject myself to that punishing weather.

The next day, we rented two brand new Toyota Highlander SUVs at the airport and headed for Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Village -- the main reason for our visit, to view the glaciers.  Arriving late at night, as the little ones took time to eat lunch and the adults looked around for some shopping along the way. Night driving is never easy, especially on unfamiliar roads, so we amused the children with games like:  look out for a possum at your side of the road, or spot the lake in the dark with just the moonlight.  It was a good thing that we were pre-booked at the Hermitage Chalets, with breakfast and a dinner at The Hermitage Hotel.  And it was there we found out that the world-famous mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary -- a pioneer who conquered Mt. Everest, the world's highest, w/his Sherpa guide -- was from this area.  No wonder his lifelong fascination with mountains, as he grew up breathing Alpine air and waking up to the sight of the majestic Mt. Cook mountain range.

The next morning, I took a "half-hour mountain trek" with my son Allen and his family.  What started out as a wet forest climb, later developed into what seemed to me like a very steep one-track path with a precipice on one side. My heart jumped up to my throat as I watched undaunted Noah maneuver the dangerous trail that was mostly uneven with exposed roots, stones and branches from the hedges. The girls -- Jinjin and 4 year old Sabrina -- were trailing way behind, so I went back to help Jinjin with Sab.

We were rewarded with a breath-taking view of Hooker Valley below and a waterfalls that joins Lake Tekapo.  The half-hour became almost an hour when we reached the end of the trek on the other side of the mountain. An achievement it really was for me, who doesn't have a sporty bone in my body!

After lunch, we took a huge bus to the jetty, for the boat ride to the glaciers.  Again, with little ones in tow, a thirty-minute walk over stony terrain can seem like forever. Good thing it was cool.  However, I soon took off my winter coat as the pretty brisk walk -- catching up with the rest of the tourists -- overcame me.

The boat ride among the floating icebergs was worth all the earlier discomforts.  It was magical, stopping alongside a huge iceberg so neon blue it was out of this world.  At the instigation of our guide, I broke off a portion of the ice and "drank" it as it melted in my mouth...the pristine waters of one of the fast-vanishing glaciers of our time!

On the drive back to Christchurch, we stopped by an alpaca farm that sells merino winter wear (it was pricey, as merino knitwear go, but the range of choices and the factory price were worth dashing through the rain) and of course, my foodie son Allen insisted on dropping by Cookie Time for some of his baked favorites to bring along.

We stayed in Novotel Christchurch City Centre. My room overlooked the ruins of the famous cathedral. (An award-winning cardboard cathedral has been built nearby to replace this heritage site.) Because of the convenient location of our hotel, we were able to walk to restaurants and some tourist spots.  Everywhere are reminders of the devastating earthquakes that happened some years ago.  Yet, the people are resilient.  They made a trendsetting mall out of container vans.  Cool and colorful.  It's a fashion destination now. Along the walls of ravaged buildings are numerous artworks to appease the eyes from the ruins.  A testament to the nobility of the human spirit.

We flew out of Christchurch for Brisbane, Australia, with inspiring memories of awesome earthquake destruction that never caused a permanent dent in the heart of the people to have chosen to rise up from the ruins and rebuild a future for their children.

Travel safely and travel well!