Ginnysspot: Day 19 Mt Cook-Christchurch

As I awoke..I was feeling a little down..we wereleaving to head back to Christchurch. Our holidays were coming to a finish. We had just had so much fun and I never wanted it to finish. But then I relised i had to enjy the moment. So wegot up and were disappointed to see the mist/clouds/snow back on the mountains. I decided that washing was a priority. We had washed last at Queenstown..so i went to the car to get the washing and was stoked to realise it was sleeting.. O My gosh it was so exciting. I scanned the weather news and they were expecting snow down to 900 metres. Rats we were at 750m. It was still way exciting. Washing on ( after I embarresed myself by trying to change a $1 coin for 2 $1 coins..whoops) ..back to breakfast.Yummy yet again..It was just an amazing place to stay.Very plush and the restaurant wasjust amazing. Somuch food and such yummy food. We packed up washing all driedand Alan went to check out and I drove the car around to the front and guess what "IT WAS SNOWING" flakes softly falling.Like a dream.One of the things I had prayed for.Good o Mary was responsible for sending New Zealand back to winter. People were out filmimg it..It was pretty spectacular.I so wanted to stay.
As we drove away people were pulled up on the side of the road to film it watch it.It certainly exciting. we had a few stops..one at Lake Tekapo where we had a dipin the hot springs (yes we had 2 towels) It was great there. The weather was cooler and it really was beautiful. Then on to Geraldine for lunch. We were feeling more tense and money was becomming a bit worrisome and our carefree times were closing in on us. We finall y arrived back in Christchurch quite tired ( it had taken us about 7 hours from Mt Cook) We had booked into Hotel So
http://www.hotelso.co.nz/Home Alan decided that we needed to get EVERYTHING out of the car and sort it all out (yes we had been living like gypsys) See it was all this reality I really hated It was all finishing.our carefree days. So we found the hotel were directed to park in the paid parking next door. And we proceeded to unpack the car.. we had bags and more bags, coats and rubbish and more and we struggled through the car park and into the ancient elevator that rumbled to a stop on street level,which happened to be in a swanky homewares shop. O my gosh I was so upset. I struggled on with all this "stuff" feeling like a real gypsy. Then out onto the street and up 3 or 4 shops to the hotel. We then somehow squashed everything into the Hotel lift and found our room. OOOO OUR HUGE ROOM ....all i can say is I am pleased we booked a Kingsize bed as this meant we had an extra big room just so the bed would fit in it. OOOOO I was so cross. there was no room for anything..but we did it..sorted it all out and thankfully realised the bed had space under it..obviously for just such occasions. The bathroom was about 1 metre square. You could almost sit on the loo and have a shower and do your makeup. On reflection we decided it was a great hotel. Free wireless free internet..all mod cons ipod dock mood themes everything. We decided we would go out for a walk and lo and behold 2 doors down Alan said "there is Bronwyn and John" Friends of ours were arriving that day from Dunoon and doing just waht we were finishing. A 3 week driving holiday. WOW couldn't beleive it.They then asked us to meet them for dinner at exactly the place we had dined at on our fiirst night in NZ. Woah..so amazing.Of all the eateries in Christchurch hey has chosen the same. It turns out that they were staying just a few doors up from us. Such a small world. We talked and talked about our trip.gave them a few hints and had a great night.The nect day we were heading upon the Tranz alpine train.
http://www.tranzscenic.co.nz/services/tranzalpine.aspx so after leaving bronwyn and John it was into bed and an early pick up (8am) tomorrow.