Trip to the Mountains

So the first few days have gone well, done the boring organisation stuff, and spent (too much!) money on stuff like mountaineering boots! I decided I should drive out for my first close-up view of the mountains. Hamish and Paddy, a couple who live with Vera also, said I could borrow their car whilst they were away for a few days, so I had a test drive to the supermarket. It took me a while to figure that the reason the car was making a horiffic noise and not going far was because the hand brake was on! But after that it was a smooth ride (I could get used to an automatic!). So the next day I put on my walking boots and got in the car. Arthurs pass is about 2hours away and the drive was incredible. The snow-covered mountaions looked beautiful, so enticing! If you know me at all you'll know its just not good for me to be that distracted whilst driving! But hey, got there in one piece. The NZ roads are so emptey and clear, there is just not that much stuff to crash into. Perfect for a scatterbrain like me ;-)

Once in Arthurs Pass the weather turned from clear to grey and rainy. Typical mountain weather. But what a great excuse to eat cake and drink coffee in the "Wobbly Kea" cafe. Well, need to break the new boots in gently!!

On the way back I stopped at Castle Hill. This is a hillside covered with hundreds of boulders, a climber and boulderers paradise! Literally thousands of bouldering problems, and over 300 bolted climbs. I can't wait to get going!

And best of all, I had a response to my internet plea for a climbing partner, a girl called Sarah, so off out to the hills this weekend. No major mountaineering routes, as avalanche risk is high so its just too dangerous :-( But the mountains will wait, plenty of hills to be going on with.....

Goodbye UK

Well, it was mixed feelings to be going, I was so excited to be fulfilling my dream of moving to NZ, a new life was waiting for me, where I could climb mountains and achieve my greatest climbing ambitions. However this meant saying goodbye to all of my family and friends, who mean the world to me. I'm so lucky to have such great people around me, so am a crazy to say goodbye?
I have many promises of visits and reunions, and I think I'm probably doing people a favour, who wouldn't want to visit nz?!
The flight was fine, premium economy so pretty luxurious, even a cheese course after dinner, served with port! Fantastic! Flying down from Auckland to Christchurch I looked out of the window. I had a huge smile on my face, as the morning was clear and the early sun was glistening of the snow that covered the mountains as far as the eye can see. The Southern alps were stunning, and filled me with excitement!
Anyway, here I am, staying with a lovely lady called vera, who has lots of lodgers, and a son who also lives with her, so I am not short of company. Its friendly and relaxed. One of the guys here has done lots of climbing and mountaineering, so I've been bending his ear for tips and advice.
I've had a wander into town, and seen my new A&E department, it looks so big and shiny and new (sorry RLH, but its a different world!) they have up to 20 nurses on shift (13 at night) and they only see 75,000 patients a year!
Anyway, I'll keep you updated, and will leave you with a poem, which may explain the reason for the title of my bog:

Only a hill.

Only a hill, the earth set a little higher above the face of earth,
a larger view of little fields and roads,
Higher still, to clouds and silence.
What is that to you? Only a hill.
But all of life to me
Up there between the sunset and the sea.

xxx