In the last post, I was on a plane, 30,000 feet in the air somewhere in the twilight zone of 32 hours of travel from AUS to LAX then to HKG and finally to CHC, which was an adventure all in its own, which ended with a landing.

I finally got in to Christchurch on the 3rd of January around 1300 local time.

This plane ride felt like an adventure all of its own. Finding the international terminal in LA, going through security in Hong Kong, and the many (largely unsuccessful) hours trying to sleep and forget you are awake.

Surprisingly (or maybe not) I was able to stay up long enough in the second flight, that what felt like by chance, I ended up adjusted to NZ time. I slept a bit on the, and upon waking, it happened that the sun was waking with me. Incredible!

It turns out that the approach to Christchurch flies over the Southern Alps - the large spin of mountains through the center of the island. From the plane window, I sat transfixed as wind swept ocean coastline ascended through steep canyons pained a dark green by the rainforest below.

The deep green hills were dissected by braided braided rivers colored blue from glacial flour. The terrain continued to ascend to the snowcapped, cloud kissed craggy peaks of the crest of the Southern Alps. Finally, as we dove into a bank of clouds, the mountains gave way to the expansive flatness of the Canterbury Plain. Christchurch, and it's surrounding farms, sprawled just ahead.

'Welcome to New Zealand' I thought.

Read the rest at the blog:

https://alexstrong.design/posts/disorientation/#fn:1