Little River PurePod
From the mysterious foliage-draped approach (exact location revealed upon booking) to the unplugged, invisible oasis-in-the-wilderness vibe the PurePod emits, this property is a unique destination that will enchant and beguile even the most hardened travel connoisseur.
Constructed so unobtrusively into the surrounding 17 acres of natural bush, totara and kahikatea forest that the 360-degree views over Lake Wairewa out to the Pacific and the lush tangle of ferns illuminated under the glass floors at night almost seem an extension of the structure itself.
Slide your weary feet into the provided terry cloth slippers and enjoy the sensation of padding silently through your little glass house. With no Wi-Fi or phone service, the only sounds are the fantails rustling in the surrounding bush, a nearby lamb lowing, and the song of bellbirds and tuis. Under the FAQ section of PurePod’s website the question “What activities are there?” is posed. The answer? “None—that is the point.”
Watch hawks circling overhead with binoculars (thoughtfully provided), enjoy the sun setting around the glass abode from all angles, and then observe the Southern Cross and Orion’s Belt as they reveal themselves, shedding gentle starlight through the PurePod’s transparent ceiling.
The PurePod’s construction is designed to be minimally invasive. Its electricity and hot water are completely solar-powered and its freshwater source is filtered rainwater from the roof of a nearby shearing shed. It also utilizes redirected rainwater to water the underfloor ferns. Remote, minimalist, sustainable, and with a surreal dreamlike ambiance Dali would envy—all around a 40-minute drive from Christchurch.
By Julia Reynolds, The Wayward Post
18/04/2016
