Wiz'n'Ton

I cycled up the port hills yesterday. Got to the Summit Road, turned around and looked at the view, and my eyes nearly fell out of their sockets.

Whilst at home it had been partly cloudy, my cycle had taken me above the cloud layer. From where I was I could see all of ChCh, then the cloud layer, and then absolutely crystal clear air and bright sunshine showed the Southern Alps in all their glory. From the Kaikoura range and Mt Hutt, all the way to the Western Ranges - snow caps as far as you could see. I sat there for a solid 15 minutes in beautiful sunshine. A runner stopped next me and simply said 'it's alright eh?'.

Still ooking at the stunning view I just nodded, thinking 'Yep, this is why I emigrated here'. Moments like that, however fleeting, keeping me going through the rough stuff - what a memory.

What's been your 'Yep, this is why I/ we did it' moment?

Genesis

The empty beaches...seeing a volcanoe in the distance a few hundred yards from my house, mountain veiws from the back section, and just generally the awesomely wonderful lives we all lead in this strange little place. Not forgetting renting an incredible bach in Waimarama on the Pacific side, beach side...just utterly stunning. I went to our I site in town yesterday and was bowled over by eight post cards of the North and South Island......views, scences and stuff from 'dream world', nirvana utopia..whatever..........but we all live here in their midst. This country has to be one of the most spectacular on earth.

Wellington Will

Much as I was dragged here a bit kicking and a bit screaming, by my NZ-philic wife, when you drive down National Root 1 (err I mean State Highway 1) from Johnsonville, through the gorge and see Wellington nestled between azure sea and deep-blue sky, you can't help but think you're in the right place.

It is stunning.

something about the quality of the light and the balance of hillside with building.

irnbru14

I get that 5 days a week on the way home from work, it is truely awesome

Its like walking along Wellington waterfront on a good day, you just cannot beat it, if you ever wonder why you are here all you need to do is head down that waterfront and go for a slow walk breathing it all in to reinvigorate the soul

I have lots of little things that all add up, most of them at the moment involve sitting in the Mount Cook cafe with a great coffee and amazing bacon & eggs on toast and realising I now have a local, regular and fantastic cafe

derab

almost the same as you mate...

the Mrs brought me over.. there I was.. a young lad, sitting on the porch of my father in laws house, in may.. he lived in the high numbers on hackthorne rd on the cashmere hill, about 500 metres below the sign of the kiwi on the summit rd.

Boy, what a sight.. from the Kaikouras to Tekapo and Mt Cook (That might be stretching it ).. but.. what a beautiful sight

I used to smoke extra ciggies after dinner just to take in the view (thankfully joined the rest of the country in being non-polluting since) but it was awesome.

teebrown

Wiz 'n Ton, can't believe you cycled up the port Hill, that is serious stuff!

Anyway, when I take the kids to school in the morning, I look behind the school and see flat farm land then bang, the stunning snow covered mountains, with the sun hitting it right, it's just beautiful, gets me smiling everytime.

Then there's the throwing the rods in the car taking off to Diamond Harbour and catching a small shark, caught myself saying out loud, "now that's why we are here", whilst my kids are going wooooowww.

Brilliant!

Kiwiprincess

That view, and the way it kind of pops up is lovely. Similar feeling is when you are coming out of the tunnel and the harbour just nicely appears.