Where are all the Kiwis?

Antipodes: according to Wikipedia (the ultimate source on all things) the antipode of any place is the place on earth that is diametrically opposed to it. Remember as children how we thought if we dug a deep enough hole in the back yard that we would eventually end up in China? Well, as much as I hate to admit it, we were wrong. Not only were we wrong but we were way wrong. Had we been able to dig such a hole, we would have ended up swimming in the Indian Ocean rather than dining on delicious shrimp fried rice.

What is surprising, though, is where some other places in the world would end up if they dig a hole straight through the center of the earth (I like the imagery that hole digging conjures better than what using the more scientific and grown up version of antipode does). If I dug a hole in my back yard here in Queenstown, I would end up in the Pacific Ocean, just off the north west coast of Spain. Were I to do so from nearby Christchurch, I would end up in A Coruna, Spain. But I’ve never heard of that place. From Wellington, I would end up in Madrid or from Auckland I could go to Seville (I wonder if bugs bunny would be there (mom that reference was just for you)). But the most surprising to me is that if I were living in Whangarei (do you remember our little hooked on phonics lesson from a while back?) and dug a hole in the back yard I would end up popping my very tired little head out in Tangier, Morocco! How cool (or hot depending on how you look at it) would that be?

Queenstown is first and foremost a resort town. In the summer, the lake and surrounding mountains provides the perfect playground for water sports, canyoning, hiking and mountain biking. In the winter months,  Queenstown plays host to three ski mountains filled to the brim with snow chasers and ski holidaymakers alike. With the mountains due to open this upcoming weekend, there were more than a few people concerned about the lack of snow in Central Otago. For the past few weeks, anxious locals have been obsessing over weather reports and speculating about whether the opening weekend would have to be pushed back. Twice we were taunted by mother nature who produced only a few flurries, enough to provide a light dusting of snow across the peaks and then melt away by mid-day.

All fears were laid to rest only a few days ago, less than one week before the mountains were due to open, when we received a massive snow storm thjat blanketed the mountains with dozens of centimeters of snow in the course of one night. This was just what the resorts needed to begin the snow making process to create enough of a base of snow to open on time. The hundreds of snowboarders who have been making their way into town over the past couple of weeks along with all of the locals who purchased their season passes months ago breathed a great sigh of relief as it was officially announced that the mountains would open on time. Now we just have to wait a couple more days and the mass migration towards the mountains can begin. If only we could have all of the snow without it being so bloody cold!