I’m sure everyone has been on a gondola before right? You hop on at the bottom, the carriage takes you to the top of the hill, you get an amazing view of the area, and then you’re taken back down with the same spectacular views. Now New Zealand has some stunning scenery, so the Christchurch Gondola alone was an amazing experience. But this one also has walking tracks, a café, a gift shop and a discovery ride! What’s a discovery ride you may be asking? Well, you’ll just have to read along and find out, because trust me it was worth the wait for us.
This was our last day in Christchurch, so we thought it would be the perfect activity to say goodbye to this beautiful city before leaving for our next destination in the morning. We bought our tickets and hopped straight on. I don’t know what it is but it always stresses me out getting onto a moving gondola, even when they are moving extremely slow. But, the slower we travel, the more time we have to take in the sights.
Even when we were still pretty low, we had some really nice scenery. Large open fields, green grass, beautiful shrubs… And sheep! I can’t tell you how excited I get whenever I see any farm animals. They almost distracted me from seeing the amazing views looking over the summit at the city below, as well as the pristine blue waters of Lyttelton Harbour. I wouldn’t have known that views like this were hiding just over the hill, a hill that was a lot steeper than it looked from the bottom! My Dad and I were quite enjoying the views and the heights. Mum on the other hand, well she needed a little help to calm down and enjoy her surroundings.
Once we had reached the top of the hill, and weren’t rocking in an “unstable” carriage in the wind, Mum could really appreciate looking out over the tiny little houses in the distance, the beautiful coastal beach, the classic New Zealand mountains and a blue sky that stretched as far as the eye could see. The top of the gondola had a cafe to sit at and take in the views while you eat and drink. This all actually sounds like a perfect date if any of you Kiwis are struggling with ideas, hint hint. I know my partner and I would absolutely love to do this together!
Ok, ok, the Discover Ride! What is it? We didn’t know either; all we saw was a sign, a line of people, and a door opening up to a 4-seater chair on a conveyor belt. So, like any other tourist would, we hopped right on without knowing anything else about what we were going to experience. “I mean we’re here already, we may as well try it out right?” The ride took us into a room with screens all around, welcoming us on a “journey to the past”. The screens then opened to let the ride move forward for the “discovery” to begin.
The decoration and special effects were pretty impressive for a ride that isn’t even the main focus of the attraction. The rooms were filled with different scenery for each time frame we were discovering and projections displayed different atmospheres and people to give the sense that we were really next to a volcano or talking with a Christchurch resident from the 1800’s. It took us through the creation of New Zealand, from the separation of Gondwana to the making of islands through volcanic activity. We also learnt about the Māori people’s voyage from East Polynesia to their new home in New Zealand, using the birds, stars and waves as a guide to find their way. Then came the colonisation of the country in the 1800’s. With this cultural change, the landscape also began to transform, with roads and buildings being constructed quite rapidly at the time. We were shown how this once vacant and volcanic land has now turned into a country of vast culture, as well as modern buildings, lifestyle and science.
Now of course, the gift shop! I’ve learnt a lot about Māori culture in New Zealand, much more than I expected to. I love learning about different cultures, especially indigenous and ancient cultures like the Māori people. So I didn’t think it would be right to go home without buying something of Māori significance. I had already bought a traditional jade necklace when my mum and I had done a bit of shopping in Lake Taupo, but I wanted to remember the Māori people I had met along the way; like the amazing guides and performers at Te Puia, the workers at Waitomo Glowworm Caves, the lovely storeowners who helped Mum and I pick out our jade necklaces, and every other Māori person we met along the way in this beautiful country. So, when I saw these little Māori figurines in their traditional dress, I immediately knew they belonged on my trinket shelf at home. I won’t forget New Zealand with these guys. And I won’t forget the kindness of everyone I’ve met so far.
All photos and videos in this post were taken by me.
The Travel Journal 
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