Gondola ? Cable Car ?

When I think of a gondola I imagine a boat on a canal in Venice. Why then are the little bubble glass carriages that transport loads of tourists and locals up the sides of hills in Queenstown, Christchurch and Rotorua also called gondola ? Whatever the reason, they are a great way to get up and down a steep hill and to enjoy the scenery as you go and from the top.

We decided to go one frosty clear morning to see what it was all about. It was a beautiful day, with clear skies - but hazy, probably caused by the city slowly thawing from the hard frost earlier.

It's worth the trip if you are in Christchurch and have the time. A 20 minute wait for hot drinks at the cafe was a bit hard to swallow, but at least we were told when we ordered and weren't left wondering if they had forgotten our order.