Hi there, my name is David and I am from Brazil. I'm about to tell you the story of my trip to the South Island of New Zealand. I was looking for having a great experience: to see snow at the first time in my life. The destiny was Mount Hutt. I departed from Auckland Airport to Christchurch, where I spent the first two days.
Christchurch is a very beautiful city, known as the more English city of New Zealand, due its traditional and well preserved English buildings and streets.
There, there are several very good places for people who like city tour and cultural tourism. I had the opportunity to visit the Cathedral, the Art Gallery, The Canterbury Museum, the Botanic Garden and the International Antarctic Center, a very nice place where I could learn a lot about the Antarctic expeditions and feel on the skin the sensation to be inside of a polar storm.
On the third day I decided to rent a car and hit the road to Inner Land. I went to Rent0-a-Dent and the friendly team gave me a lovely 4WD Subaru but better than that - great tips about what to see and where to go, plus maps and tips about how to drive in the snow and how to use the chains on the tires since I had no experience with it.
I was heading Castle Hills, one of the places used as a scenario in the Lord of the Rings Movie. Just driving along the way was already a satisfying moment. The scenery composed by very green pastures and snow-covered mountains on the horizon is wonderful.
By the way, I passed for a small village, called Springfield, the same name of the Simpsons city, which was honored with a giant donut with the same shape of The Simpsons symbol movie. When I arrived in Castle Hills I was surprised. The landscape, formed by a set of big rocks, sculpted for the water flux and the wind force, rounded for a green lawn is simply fantastic. Over the rocks I could feel a great sensation of freedom looking at the vale.
Finally from there, I drove straight to Methven, a small town close to the Mount Hutt, which we can cross in 3 min by car. I stayed in a cozy lodge and in the morning took the way to the Mount Hutt Ski Field. While the distance to the ski field turned shorter, the landscape became whiter. When I started to go up, I was already rounded by snow in the both sides of the road. I was not in any doubt: I stopped the car and putted my hands inside the snow!
It was funny, I looked like a child with a new toy. Then, after satisfying my curiosity, I went on to the Mount Hutt and arriving there, took a pair of skis and started to have fun with my beautiful instructor girl. I think I am a fast learner because after some tips on the training slope, I was already seeing myself taking the lift to challenge the death on the peak of the mountain! Hahahaha!
In the end of the day I was feeling tired but still happy. To finish, I just can say that each part of the adventure was wonderful, from Christchurch to Mount Hutt. Touching the snow at the fist time is an indescribable sensation and skiing over it is an exciting and vibrant experience. Thanks Rent-a-Dent for all the tips and advices that made my trip run smoothly and totally hassle free!!!
