We picked up a little hire car from Christchurch and made our way across to Methven on the Canterbury Plains. The reason for this short inland jaunt was that we had booked a hot air balloon trip for early the next morning and thought we would save on transport costs, and be able to stay in bed for that little bit longer!
Driving through the South Island countryside, we saw plenty of the merino sheep that NZ is famous for and were kept busy on the brakes, trying to avoid the Kamikaze sparrows that frequently darted across the road from the hedgerows. As we neared Methven, a drizzle turned into a stronger downpour, but we were still able to catch sight of some lovely scenery in the form of snow-capped mountains.
Our accommodation for the next couple of nights was a lovely ski lodge (Snow-Denn) run by a really friendly couple, Andrea (another one) and Alan. They both made us feel extremely welcome and the whole feel of the lodge was a very homely and 'cosy' one (which was just as well, considering the weather!). After we had unloaded the car, the rain had stopped (typical), but a heavy cloud had descended and unfortunately obscured our view of the nearby Mt Hutt.
We spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing in the toasty lounge, heated by a log fire and chatted with the proprietors over coffee. Again, we must confess to succumbing to the urge for a short siesta before we ventured out to eat and watch the first semi-final of the Rugby World Cup (Australia v New Zealand). There are in fact only two pubs in Methven, imaginatively named 'The Blue Pub' (which is blue) and 'The Brown Pub' (which, as I am sure you can deduce, is brown!). We chose neither, and instead plumped for 'The Lodge', a restaurant/bar that had two giant screens and fantastic pizzas (I had 'The Carnivore', and Andrea chose 'The New Zealander', with roast lamb and pumpkin, would you believe?).
As you can imagine, the support was obviously for the All Blacks and we did our best, cheering with the locals. We felt their pain as Australia claimed the match and were bitterly disappointed that it could not now be an Anglo-Kiwi final.
Not having drunk too much to excess, we trundled off to bed after midnight, with the knowledge that we would be getting a call at 4.30am if the balloon trip was on. We had been warned, however, that the omens were not good, as a strong wind was expected throughout the next morning.
This proved to be the case, and our slumber was not disturbed, meaning that our balloon adventure was quite literally 'Blown Out'! Deciding to make the best of the situation, we drove to Rakaia Gorge for a spectacularly scenic walk along the vivid turquoise river and surrounds. The colour of the water was amazing (as the photos will hopefully bear witness), but the wind was biting and whipped up a tortuous dust-storm.
We wandered along the stony riverside for a while, and as the area was deserted, we quickly stripped off for a quick paddle in the alpine water. Exhilarating? Bracing? Refreshing? Invigorating? No! Absolutely, extremity numbingly freezing!!!
Needless to say, we very swiftly jumped out, dried off and returned to the warmth and shelter of the car, before heading back to the lodge.
Upon our return, we were told of an interesting offer by one of the ski resorts in the village. On a Sunday, it is possible to use the hot-tubs and swimming pool of 'The Chancellor' for a gold coin donation. Grabbing our swimming stuff, we walked round to the resort and found the story to be true. We swam for a few lengths in the pool (well ok, Andrea swam for a few more than me!) and then adjourned to the blissful temperatures of the open-air hot-tubs. We spent just over an hour there, doing absolutely nothing, before returning once again to Snow-Denn.
That evening was a big one, as England were taking on France in the RWC. This was a game that we were eagerly anticipating, yet feeling pretty nervous about too. We returned to the previous night's venue (although we cooked for ourselves first, electing to save our money for beer!). There was hardly anyone in the place, compared to the night before, but nearer kick-off, it did fill up slightly. Those that were joining us, were all supporting England, so there was a positive and jovial atmosphere. Despite some controversial refereeing decisions and some cynical French tactics, we were pleased/relieved to see England advance to the finals through a very determined and rugged approach.
We were informed before we went out for the evening that the balloon trip was again highly doubtful for the morning, which was borne out by the heavy rain and wind that we woke up to at around 8 o'clock. With no other plans but travel to Lake Tekapo, we had a leisurely breakfast and reflected on the misfortune of missing out on our balloon flight, and revelled in the triumph of England, winning through to face the Aussies in the RWC final.
Dan and Andrea
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