I'm currently sitting on the covered patio of a roadside
café in the small town of Ashburton, roughly 73 kilometers south of
Christchurch. I just finished a tasty BLT sandwich and I’m enjoying one of New
Zealand’s finest pleasures, a Coca-Cola in a
glass bottle. Bliss.
Our last morning in Christchurch was pleasant. Another pair
of guests arrived at the B&B last night, so for the first time this trip we
had company during the morning meal: a Belgian neurologist and his newlywed
bride, a head hunter. They told us that Belgium has been without a functioning
government for over 100 days now… something about two different political
factions that can’t seem to get along, leaving the country in a state of
transition. Sounds like a perfect time for a vacation to me!
On the way out of town we stopped by a scrapbooking store
for Melody. Yes, the sickness is spreading over here as well. Fortunately they
didn't have much NZ-themed stuff, so the impact on my wallet wasn't too bad :)
The drive has been very easy so far, boring even. We're
travelling through the Canterbury Plains, a region of incredibly flat grassland
that stretches from the western Alps to the ocean on the eastern side of the
South Island. A lot of NZ's sheep farms exist here in the plains so we have finally seen evidence of the famed "3 sheep for every person" ratio. As we drive, the Alps are clearly visible off to our right hand side, their
snow-tipped caps forming a stark contrast against the blue sky.
And speaking of the sky, there's something different about it here. It seems
larger, more expansive, more epic than the sky back home. Maybe it's because
the air is so clean, with so few man-made pollutants. Or maybe it's because I’m
falling in love with the South Island and my mind is playing tricks on me.
Whatever the reason, I am content to sit here for a few more minutes,
contemplating the cloud-dotted blue dome stretching in all directions, as far
as the eye can see.
Note from Mel: Maybe he will love it enough to move here, my
plan is working!
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