Without warning the snow cover from last night's storm
vanishes, revealing amber swaths of the tussock grassland dominating this
portion of the Otago region. Otago experiences the most drastic temperature swings
in the country, and apparently the combination of blistering summers and
bone-chilling winters constitutes ideal wine country. We pass by a number of
small wineries in small pockets of flatland between the hills. We don't stop
for a tour, however, as we've booked a helicopter winery tour in Queenstown.
Perhaps the most striking feature of this area is its raw,
untouched appearance. For mile upon mile the only sign of man is the road, an
occasional telephone or electricity pole, and the rare motorist. Only 1 million
people live on the South Island, and nearly half of those are in the
Christchurch area. We can see the reality of those numbers reflected back at us
from each passing mile of undeveloped land. And when we do come across a small
settlement it is rarely more than a small eatery selling snacks, wool clothing and
maybe fuel. The sense of remoteness is soothing, and our "real lives" are but
fading memories.
As we get closer to Queenstown the mountains spring up
around us like shoots of grass from the forest floor. Gone are the foothills of
a few hours ago, replaced by the white-capped tips that make this region a
premier skiing destination in the winter. I feel my mind going numb from the
beauty, and I struggle to make sense of an infinite sequence of landscapes,
each more moving than the last. The land here is like one filter after another,
each one stripping away layer upon layer of stress, worry, doubt and
negativity, leaving me feeling cleansed and whole.
We're in the outskirts of Queenstown now. It's gorgeous, but
gone is the remoteness from before, replaced by the hustle and bustle you would
expect from a world-class vacation destination. We're a bit turned off by the
amount of people, but even here the commercialism remains in check by zoning
laws aimed at striking a balance between man and nature. Refreshed from our
drive through Heaven's backyard, we check into our last B&B and settle in
for our last 4 days in New Zealand.
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