Christchurch, Hanmer Springs, Waipara It was difficult to discern if our plane was flying lower over New Zealand’s South Island or if the mountains were rising up higher to meet us. The majesty of the Alps was vivid, nonetheless. The rich brown earth on these jagged giants was topped white where the recent snows had settled. I was headed to the land of the long white cloud with my Samoan-born kiwi-raised workmate Phil, whose daily New Zealand updates eventually led way to a ‘screw it, let’s do an NZ road trip’ decision. The Cookie Time and Whittaker’s treats he regularly brought back were not enough of a kiwi dose for me. I wanted to be there and breathe it in. So as I peered out the aeroplane window, giddy and excitable as an infant at the wondrous landscape below, Phil suddenly decided to play the ‘oh yeah, I guess enzed is quite beautiful’ nonchalant card (for the first time ever). Christchurch We arrived at Christchurch airport and after picking up our Ford Focus hire car …