I’m losing my sanity during work and need strong medication to slow down the effects. Fortunately a nice landscape like Arthur’s Pass national park is a potent one.

Table of Contents

• Weekly report
• Arthur’s Pass national park

Weekly report

As you can see from my introduction, work is sometimes a torture from the depths of hell. 19 days I already work for Citycare and 16 of them I was plucking pest plants. A quote from my interview: “No two days will be the same.” I interpreted it as an empty phrase, but still hoped for some variety. I already annoyed all of my direct supervisors and hopefully I have some change next week. Otherwise, it will be another circle of torture and insanity.

Arthur’s Pass national park

After my decent last week I was traveling to Arthur’s Pass national park. This is again a glimpse of the New Zealand I wanted to explore. 90 km past Christchurch you will leave the flat area and on the horizon mountains are building up. But before that you will come along ancient limestone; Castle Hill. On the first glance I got a déjà vu, which I only solved back in Christchurch. Mighty rocks, some unfamiliar shapes and a nice walkway directly besides the street.

Leaving Castle Hill behind I arrived about 40 minutes afterwards in Arthur’s Pass Village. This was like a visit back home in the Central European Alps. Only one street surrounded from mountains, cloaked in snow, grass or gravel. Countless trekking opportunities and peaks, but I my destination was Devil’s Punchbowl Waterfall. This 131-meter-high waterfall is picture spot number one at Arthur’s Pass. You will arrive after an approximately 20 – 30 minutes’ walk at the falls. Good shoes are mandatory, because the way is a gravel road and has many bulky stones. There is a viewing platform at the waterfall. Besides the waterfall you can also hike up various peaks, planned time 6 – 8 hours. I thought about these options, but after visiting Devil’s Punchbowl Waterfall I only trekked along the 2 hours Arthur’s Pass Trail. Back at the car I was driving a bit further west to snap the Oitra Viaduct.

After my adventures I talked with my landlord a bit and she gave me a book about Arthur’s Pass national park. In this book I found the answer to my déjà vu. Castle Hill was a film location for The Lord Of The Rings.

As always, you can view more pictures in the gallery.