Today was the longest of the travel days, but it was beautiful landscape out the window and nicely broken up along the way with a stop in Queenstown for lunch. I’ve been unable to upload my photos for posting in the blog, which is so unfortunate, because this has been the most jaw-dropping scenery I have ever seen… every corner we turn is another “ooh”, and camera click.
Because it was a road day, a bit about Mt. Cook, which we were at yesterday. Called Aoraki in Maori (which means cloud piercer), Mt Cook is 12,300 feet, and is often the training ground for those planning on climbing Everest. Some say it is a more technical climb than Everest, and it is where Sir Edmund Hillary, a native Kiwi did his pre-climbs before setting that record. A second peak, Mt. Tasman, is 11,500 ft, and the several others contribute to the southern alps range which make this national park so awe inspiring. The many glacial lakes at high elevation all feed into each other, and eventually into Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki (which the one that our ranch home sat on). It’s the minerals from the glacial melt that makes the water such incredible shades of blue, and when the sun shifts, the color does too.
Our drive today took us through Lindis Pass, an alpine pass through the mountains at 3,200 feet, and along the Kawarau River, which was also beautiful turquoise. Queenstown is on Lake Wakatipu and is reminiscent of lake side villages in Austria or Switzerland, with clear blue water and mountain backdrops. There were lovely paths and restaurants and a very vibrant active adventure scene. It’s from Queenstown that one books bungy jumping, jet boats and helicopter rides. We did stop by the original bungy jump place on our way in, as several of our group are planning on taking the plunge when we are in town on Saturday. I’m missing the need for speed adrenaline gene, so will simply watch! I found just looking at the videos of people doing it beyond my scope. We followed the Lake on our way south — this one is shaped like a lightening bolt, and most of the lakes are long and narrow, reflecting their glacier melt lives. Wakatipu is enormous, maybe 50 miles in length.
We are staying in Manapouri, near the start of the Kepler Track, which we will take tomorrow. It’s one of NZ’s Great Walks, and part of Fjordland National Park. The motel tonight is right on Lake Manapouri, which is beautiful (as they all seem to be), with mountains on the far side, most of which had a bit of cloud cover tonight.
Updated with pictures…
So gorgeous. I am fascinated by the clouds. Also confused that you keep saying you can’t post pictures but they are all coming through. Hope this means that you have hundreds more!
xoxoxo