22./23.03. Kia ora, New Zealand

Thursday morning, early to Melbourne airport. The plane (Air New Zealand) took off for Christchurch at 09:15 (flight duration 03:10 hours). Upon arrival, strict checks are carried out to ensure that no food, plants, or dirt are brought in. Our hiking shoes were personally inspected and deemed clean by an officer. Additionally, a sniffer dog also checked us. The process with the new rental car (Toyota RAV4) took a bit longer, but we learned that everything is taken a little more relaxed in New Zealand. After adding another 2 hours of time difference (now 12 hours), the first day in New Zealand was over.

Our accommodation (Quickenberry Lodge) is located about 1 hour from Christchurch in the Southern Alps, right in the middle of a golf course, but otherwise in the middle of nowhere. The corresponding village is so small that we didn't find it. The boss is Swiss, an ambitious chef, and the author of the world's best vegetable cookbook. So we enjoy a star-worthy 4-course menu in the evening.

The weather does not correspond to what is shown in photos in travel guides, it rained and foggy all day with temperatures between 4-9 degrees Celsius.

The Southern Alps region must be very beautiful, but we could only catch a glimpse of it on our trip to Arthurs Pass (a distance of about 100 km) today. But it is supposed to get better in the next few days...