There are some rivalries that never go away, like the battle between night and day, summer versus winter, and the never-ending war between Australia and our mortal enemy, New Zealand. And in a devastating update to the later’s ongoing battle, another brave solder has fallen to the opposing side. Bondi Rescue lifeguard Anthony ‘Harries’ Carroll, a renowned lover of summer and Australia, has suddenly converted to being a lover of the New Zealand winter. Gasp!
Deciding to trade his typical Bondi lifestyle of surfing waves and saving the occasional swimmer from a jellyfish sting, Harries had always referred to himself as somewhat of a “winter-phobe”. A condition which he reckons many fellow Aussies suffer from.
Fortunately for him, our friends across the ditch presented him with a perfect form of exposure therapy for his seasonal affliction: New Ski-Land.
Yes, you read that right. New Zealand, the country that is beloved for it’s stunning landscapes that feature in films like The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and famous faces such as Taika Waititi and Lorde, is now winning over Aussie icons like lifeguard Harries by promoting it’s incredible opportunities for winter sports.
Because let’s face it Australia, we aren’t as spoilt for choice as our Kiwi counterparts are when it comes to places to go for a ski. And for a dedicated surfer like Harries, in winter when there’s no sun, there’s no fun.
Enter… New Ski-Land.
A land that, rather than hiding from the coldness of winter, chooses to embrace it. An attitude which, after a week in the admittedly stunning country, was also embraced by reality TV lifeguard Harries.
“As soon as summer ends and the temperature starts to drop, it seriously impacts my vibe,” he said.
“I wasn’t convinced life outside of the Australian summer could be any good, but New Ski-Land has changed me.”
Harries also shared the other adventures he was able to have in New Zealand/Ski-Land, that frankly, just aren’t possible in the Lucky Country.
“I was amazed at just how much there is to see and do in a New Zealand winter, and not just on the slopes,” the Bondi Rescue icon began.
“I had the ride of my life on a heli-flight overlooking New Zealand’s Southern Alps, I sipped whisky in a high-altitude hut on the mountain top, stared at the stars on a dark sky stargazing tour, and experienced an unforgettable ski run at Mt Hutt Ski Area.
“You don’t get stars and pow like that in Bondi!”
“I can’t believe New Ski-Land has been there all along. My top tip? Avoid making the same mistake I did. Don’t wait, go now.”
While it may be rough for our Aussie pride to see the nation we (playfully) refer to as our rivals show off that the fun they get to have in the snowy season, you gotta admit it looks like fun to not be cooped up all winter.
Which I guess is why so many Aussies venture over there during this period of the year. We trade some of our tourists to them in winter, and they send them over here in the summer. It’s a fair trade!
“A trip to New Ski-Land is the best cure for the winter blues. We can’t wait for other self-confessed winter-phobes to experience it for themselves,” stated Andrew Waddel, general manger of Tourism New Zealand.
Okay Kiwis, you win this round. You can have lifeguard Harries, but we’re not giving back Sam Neill.
