Lake Tekapo

Warm milk for my muesli and a mug of hot coffee was just the ticket for sunrise over Lake Pukaki this morning.

Just one more picture of Mt Cook... that's what I kept saying to myself! I couldn't tear myself away. All morning that peak compelled me with its beauty. I drove the other side of Lake Pukaki and found alpine salmon smoked with blackcurrent and something or other but even as I was purchasing what was surely going to be a highlight of my lunch and trip, I had one eye on that mountain. 

All good things must come to an end though and Lake Tekapo was always meant to be my last hurrah out here. I only had one more night of sleeping in the van. Boo!

Lake Tekapo is the town and the lake. It's known for the striking turquoise of the water during the day and phenomenal stargazing by night. I wandered the town a little, got myself organized and found a lakeside spot to picnic without the throes of other tourists. A British couple joined me and that's where I found out about St Johns Observatory - Part of Canterbury University. They planned to hike up in the midday heat but I went with the drive up. 

Here's something to consider if this is on your list too: 

The parking lot is fairly small and the drive up is a skinny little winding road and steep grade for 5km. At the bottom a lady takes your $14 and opens the barrier to enter only when another car is leaving. One in. One out. It's slow to be sure. But quite the cool drive and definitely worth it for the view from the top.

The surprise this afternoon was how much I enjoyed a little jaunt down the back roads of Lake Tekapo before stumbling upon a wildlife sanctuary on the shores of Lake Alexandrina, also in the Mackenzie Basin.

Look! Southern Grebes! Found only in 100 lakes and lagoons in the South Island, this is a true water bird. With legs located too far back to be useful for walking on land, they also build floating nests. Fascinating! I dangled my legs over the edge of a low walking bridge and pointed my long lens at these beauties. They went about their business calmly ... apparently my 3-days-camping natural-smelling self, is not any threat to nesting grebes.

I got as far as Geraldine before petering out tonight. The plan tomorrow? A visit with Kealy at 10am to gift her back all the things I think might be useful for her and Chris to camp with, as I start to clear out and clean up VanGogh. Then I'd be intercepting the parents and the sister and mostly free to spend the next 2 days with them in Christchurch before departure.

It was a wet and wild weekend in Christchurch... mildly better than most of the rest of the country that took the brunt and found itself under a state of emergency. I found myself on the only flight to Auckland that was not weather impacted and 26 turbulent hours later, was home safely in Boulder. Shaken and stirred but happy.

Cooking at Mt Cook!

Good morning from the side of the road somewhere close to Kurow! I know it's supposed to rain cats and dogs today, but joy and optimism arrived in spades with one look out the window at sunrise.

What a lovely drive it was too...

For a rainy, somewhat windy day, it sure was beautiful around here! Just before Lake Pukaki, I happened upon Alpine Lavender farm and decided to make this my first major stop of the day. Who could say no to ice cream, fields of flowers and cute little bath products that deliver relaxing feelings to the brain?! Not this gal. 

I wandered the fields, camera in hand. The sound of honey bees in stereo made me smile. What made me smile more was that this place offered props to visitors... just in case you wanted selfies on vintage bicycles, wearing a purple hat etc. (Yeah, this one would be good if I had a friend to share the glee with.)

Not to be outdone by those who did bring friends, I bought a few gifts - for myself included - and treated myself to an ice cream. Lavender and honey ice cream with a sprinkle of crunchy bee pollen bits. Surely this counts as medicinal too?!

Not far away, at Lake Pukaki, a lookout with my name on it awaited. It was where I spent a few hours reclined in my van, journaling, editing pics and cooking a delicious pasta with veggies and lamb sausage lunch. Such a nice way to pass the time until the driving rain let up and the clouds parted! 

Then I took my leave and began to explore all the way back into Tasman Valley. It was hard to comprehend that the other side of these peaks was where I had looked up at Franz Josef and Fox glaciers, days and hundreds of kilometers ago.

I spent much of the day just keeping the faith and manifesting some kind of view. Mt Cook (Aoraki) is known for shrouding itself but I just knew my time was coming... and it did! Because it always does!

I slept at my overlook that night. Breathing in every minute of golden hour. The last rays of sun on the mountain, the turquoise blue of the water and the fresh air that enveloped me as I ate my picnic dinner.