New Zealand’s natural taonga. That is what I am in search of on this road trip. That is what my research and planning speaks of consistently, “New Zealand’s Taonga”, natural treasures.
I shall do my best to describe this place. You know how you get that excitement of anticipation. That fluttery feeling when you spend a lot of time planning something, you picture it in you head, you visualise it as post card perfect, every step in the plan adds to the flutter. We whizzed through here a month ago with the grandkids in tow and I was in awe. I was so looking forward to coming back that I nearly talked myself into it never being as good as that first time. You know that “never go backwards” it’s such a risk if it doesn’t live up. Like watching a movie of your favourite book, or going back to a restaurant where you had your best meal ever, something’s should just hold the moment.
And then it catches fire, and then it snows and you can’t get there, but hey the snow helps puts out the fire. The trip there is a post of its own and Then you are there and it’s scorched and smoking and the smell of smoke catches in the back of your throat, and the Maunga Aoraki unfolds as you approach it and it’s majestic.
The catch in your throat is now a feeling that you are indeed privileged to bear witness and be in this time and place. We walk Tasman valley track. We talk to a man who says he should be golfing in Arizona and a young couple who should be backpacking in Europe, yet here we all are and it’s amazing.
we walk to the blue pools which are no longer blue but green. The signs tell us it’s because they are no longer fed by the glaciers. At least we can’t blame Covid just global warming.
We break up our walks by sitting in our camper having a cuppa and snacking on some yummy wraps (a packed lunch from our cottage). The brilliance of the camper proves its worth again as it comes complete with its own toilet as these have a sign on “closed for winter”.
I have to explain more of the reasoning of the fluttery feeling and that is “Aoraki Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat”. Months ago I had booked two nights at this retreat. Set in an amazing setting, with breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a hot tub to View the spectacular night sky and gaze At the stars. And then it caught fire.
so as I said we waited it out in Christchurch and I couldn’t help but be disappointed. Minus 5 in the camper compared to cottage with a hot tub was no contest. I tried to be grateful, I was sincere in my concern for the owners and staff of the retreat and what they were facing. 2020 had again shown its barbs. Then luck, or fate or both and it snowed heavily and the fire was put out. We were told we could stay and warned of the smell of smoke and firemen on the drive.
We were met by the owners Kaye and Luke, with a bottle to thank us for coming. We are shown to our cottage with apologies for the smell and the smoking earth. The smell is negligible, the scorched earth is sobering. We go for a walk around this amazing property moulded and crafted with blood, sweat and tears and see what they have lost but also what was saved. It’s that lucky, unlucky all over again. Lucky no one was hurt, lucky the main buildings are fine, unlucky the grounds are so charred, unlucky the spa buildings are gone. The work they have to do to restore it back must feel daunting. But for us with a view like this out the window it is simply stunning and I feel blessed to be here.
Everyone and everything At this place was above expectations. The food was delicious, the cottage immaculate, the surroundings speak for themselves and the people were perfect.
I sit here days later trying to put the feelings to words, the rugby playing in the background as WH watches Nth vs STH and I wonder why I didn’t do it early when there was no TV and lots of time but I don’t wonder for long as I remember the timelessness of the moment in gazing at the stars, sipping wine by the fire and even beating WH at scrabble. It is a time and place where you can only truly be in that moment.
