Yesterday began like every other normal day. We had breakfast – toast and fried eggs – at the hostel, and we started a hiking trip into the mountains. We followed a dirt road, parked Harry and found the sign to Mt. Isobel track. The track leads up to the summit of Mt. Isobel and follows the path of the mountains. The way is very steep and there is nothing to grip to because there are only a few rocks and plants. We don’t have much experience in hiking, so it was very difficult to get up.
Given all the effort we were very proud to have managed the way up. We had great views to the surrounding landscape and we felt so small and somehow we were standing on the roof of the world. The views were breathtaking and entire mountains and valleys were laid out in front of us. We collapsed exhausted on the summit and just took in the beauty of the views around us. Another breathtaking and amazing experience!
When it began to rain and we decided to go back, I got a message from E. „Are you ok? Did you see the news?“ I wrote back but got no answer. We were curious and worried about what happened – obviously something in Christchurch. We went back, going down it was even more difficult than it was on the way up, but finally we made it to the car.
Back in the hostel we asked what happened and they said there was an earthquake in Christchurch. We saw the news on the Internet – movies about collapsing buildings and injured people – and were shocked. We tried to reach our friends in the city but the line didn’t work.
I’ve never been so near to something like this. I was in Christchurch the day before and everything was fine and now it’s gone and there are people I know in the city and we don’t know if they are affected or not.
Slowly there was news of friends and acquaintances – everybody is alive. They are shocked of course, but they are ok.
For safety reasons we decided to stay one more day in Hanmer Springs.
Because we were exhausted from the hiking and it was cold we went to the Spa Pools. We stayed there for an hour but couldn’t really enjoy it. The pools are such a peacefull place, it seemed totally surreal that one hour away people are dying. We couldn’t stand it and went back to the hostel.
By that time it was early in the morning in Europe. We called friends and parents to let them know we were fine and not in the city before they heard the news.
It’s so weird, I like the country and the people here. They are so friendly and it is so easy to feel at home. I traveled a lot but I’ve never felt so close to a country and it’s people like I do here.
