2 months till I jet off to the Land of the Long White Cloud, Aotearoa, New Zealand silly!
And I've been making lots of plans.
Because I'm flying in and out of Christchurch this time I've got a few miles to travel to get down to my winter playground in Wanaka. Which means 1. being a tourist and 2. skiing somewhere else besides my beloved Treble Cone.
So here's my plans so far:
Fly in to Christchurch at lunchtime. Discover my luggage didn't make the transit in Sydney and I am ski less. Seriously, I'm a little worried this may well happen as there's just over an hour between my Perth flight arriving and my Christchurch flight leaving - domestic terminal, international terminal, very busy Sydney airport. Look, it was a really cheap ticket: $260 Perth to Christchurch OK? If the luggage makes it, emerge from Christchurch airport elated!
Next, pickup hire car, go to Chill office to pick up Chill Pass, hit supermarket then drive an hour up the road to Springfield for 3 nights. Spend the next 3 days skiing, or possibly only 2 days if I have a little misplaced luggage problem, a selection of Arthur's Pass ski fields. Have my first nutcracker experience!
Friday evening drive to Banks Peninsula for 2 nights in Akaroa, site of an old French colony and apparently very quaint and scenic. Eat lots of croissants and enjoy fabulous coffee because Kiwis know how to do the best coffee!
Sunday meander down the coast, through Geraldine and Fairlie to Lake Tekapo, where I am booked for 6 nights. Monday to Friday go skiing at either Round Hill or Mt Dobson, depending on weather and snow/road conditions. Spend evenings watching awesome night skies and maybe even catch an Aurora lightshow if I'm lucky.
Saturday go skiing on Tasman Glacier! Yes, go up in a plane, get some awesome aerial views of Mt Cook and all the nearby glaciers, land on the glacier then ski down it, past ice caves and weird formations, then do it a second time!! Once I found out about this trip it had to be on the bucket list, and everyone says Tasman Glacier is so disappointing from the ground so why not do it in a plane and then ski down it hey? Did I say we do this twice?? And with a week in Tekapo I've got a weather window to ensure I get on that glacier, can't wait.
Sunday, probably rest the legs, or alternatively go ski Ohau on my way south to Wanaka. Remind myself how freaking scary that road is up from the lake to the carpark. Arrive Wanaka Sunday evening and check in to my home away from home, Wanaka Bakpaka.
Then spend the next 6 weeks in Wanaka, skiing Treble Cone. Make Klaus happy by booking a couple of Sofa Ski Schools, catch up with Sonja for one of them, and also with all my Wanaka skiing friends. Cook sticky date pudding and be universally adored and appreciated, again already!
There's room in the clapped out old hire car for a travel compadre if anyone's interested....
No comments:
Post a Comment