Magic carpet

MARUIA SPRINGS: Hot springs defeat winter's chill.

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A helicopter flight followed by hot pools, mouthwatering food and wine beguile DAVID KILLICK at Maruia Springs.

"Hotel Alpha Bravo, cleared for Heli Zero two, Southbrook departure!" Pilot Akira Matsushita gets clearance from Air Traffic Control and we lift off from Christchurch International Airport. His gleaming dark red Robinson R44 four-seater helicopter climbs rapidly.

We soon reach 1000 feet and an airspeed of 100 knots. Our heading is north, northwest, towards the mountains, then on over the Lewis Pass to Maruia Springs Thermal Resort, where Akira is co-owner. The GPS indicates a flight time of 40 minutes.

We leave all traces of the city behind and are passing over lifestyle blocks and farms. Like unfurled silver and blue ribbons, the Waimakariri glistens away to the west. Mt Grey looms up and we skirt around it, then pass over hilly terrain, forests and valleys.

Lake Sumner appears like a dark blue jewel in a pristine green wilderness. Will they dam the Hurunui and raise the lake level? In Europe, the lake would be surrounded by houses and people; here, its isolation makes it special. Akira turns the chopper round and we come back over the lake for another look.

High on the slopes a mountain tarn is frozen solid in the late- afternoon winter sunshine. Now we are skimming over tussocks and a riverbed as we follow the Boyle River. With nothing but perspex in front of us it feels like a magic carpet ride.

As the valley opens out we head west, following State Highway 7 to Lewis Pass. To our right are snow-covered peaks, turning gently from white to gold as the sun lowers. Akira grins and gestures downwards to Maruia Springs and we, too, dip down and make like a jetboat as we weave in over the river. We touch down gently in front of the lodge and find ourselves in a winter-white landscape.

In midwinter, the sun shows itself for barely an hour in the morning before sneaking behind the peaks, re- emerging for just another hour in the late afternoon. The valley remains frost-shrouded. But the cold keeps the voracious sandflies at bay.

To combat the chill, as soon as possible we strip off, pull on our togs and take a dip in the hot springs. Rainwater that first seeped through the rocks a hundred years ago has been heated by volcanic fires beneath the earth's surface, then tumbles and gushes back out. Surrounded by boulders and the bushclad valley, you feel at peace, calm and relaxed, letting all workaday cares slip away.

You meet interesting people in the hot pools: a visitor from California, a bookshop owner, folks taking a short break.

Ever since they discovered them in the 19th century, travellers have appreciated these thermal pools halfway between the South Island's east and west coasts. For years the place was fairly basic. Then in the early 1990s Akira and partner Takako Ogino acquired it and transformed it into an attractive Japanese-style resort.

Akira and Takako live in Christchurch and are passionate about action and adventure. As well as flying helicopters, Akira is also a former race car driver and has done motorcycle tours.

It can be hard work. There is no mains power: the resort relies on a mini-hydro system, gravity-fed water and generator backup. Last year, snowfalls and landslides ruptured the inlet pipe, cutting off water for several weeks. Since then, Akira and Takako have not only replaced the pipes but upgraded the resort's decor, giving it a more Japanese look. The aim is to give Kiwis a taste of an authentic Japanese onsen, a thermal resort.

To celebrate, we find ourselves together with some other media visitors sampling Japanese food and local wine. The general manager of Waipara Springs Wines, Andrew Moore, has brought a selection of the latest 2009 releases.

Chef Peter Vernon serves up some mouth-watering dishes: green- lipped mussels with a fennel, lemon, parmesan panini gratin; Asian marinated chicken with Japanese chilli seasoning and a Korean barbecue sauce; a daikon radish and vegetable roll; homemade tortellini filled with homemade ricotta cheese, manuka-smoked tomato essence and parmesan; slow braised pork belly with a crab-apple and thyme jus, pickled cabbage, and crispy potato cake. Feeling hungry yet?

Waipara Springs riesling, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir are all excellent. I am a riesling fan. I can't quite decide between the standard riesling gold-medal winner and the premo dry double-gold winner. The only solution: enjoy both.

Moore says more wine tastings are planned.

The next day dawns fine and frosty and after breakfast Akira fires up the helicopter. A friend, Duncan Storrier (a businessman and jet boater who won the 1996 world river racing championship), has joined him in another R44 and they will do air-to-air videography. Akira loves flying. "It's a magic device to connect the city and the middle of nowhere, and the view from the air is a totally different experience." Accommodation at Maruia Springs, including unlimited use of the hot pools, is priced from $129 a night for an eco package (bring your own towels, soap, shampoo, and rubbish bags). Private pools and Japanese massage are also available. Japanese meals, including dinner and breakfast, are served at Shuzan Fusion restaurant. For specials, including wine tastings, see maruiasprings.co.nz and waiparasprings.co.nz. You can join the Maruia Springs Onsen club for special offers.

- © Fairfax NZ News