HOOKER VALLEY TRACK, MOUNT COOK.

Another wonderful sunny hot day. We took the easier trail today, taking about three hours round trip to amazing views of the Hooker glacier , Mount Cook and the Southern Alps. The track took us over the river via three swing bridges, past the Alpine Memorial commemorating  the many lives lost on the mountains, past a pretty alpine tarn and they even had two long drop toilets – luxury!

FIRST SWING BRIDGE

MOUNT COOK

NOT MANY FLOWERS LEFT

ANOTHER SWING BRIDGE

ALPINE TARN

HOOKER LAKE AND MOUNT COOK

BIT OF AN ICEBERG!

                                        ONLY FOUR JUMPS FOR ROY TO GET THE SHOT!

SEALY TARNS HIKE FROM WHITE HORSE HILL CAMPGROUND, MOUNT COOK 7 FEB

The stars last night were just spellbinding, millions and millions so bright they looked unreal.

Cloudy first thing but the sun broke through with a vengeance around midday.

We did the Sealy Tarns track, dubbed the “stairway to heaven”2200 steps take you straight up to the freshwater lakes of Sealy Tarns. An energetic walk provided spectacular views of the Hooker Valley and the peaks of the area including Aoraki/Mount Cook.

Typical of us we misread a sign and climbed up the rocky trail half way to the Mueller Hut, when we discovered that we had passed the tarns....back down and lunch at the tarns, beautiful!

START OF THE 2200 STEPS

                                                   ONE OF THE SEALY TARNS

WORN OUT SHERPA!

                                              THAT'S OUR CAMPSITE DOWN THERE

                                                                      THE OTHER TARN

MOUNT COOK NATIONAL PARK TUESDAY 6 FEBRUARY

After a cloudy start the skies cleared and sun shone endlessly. We drove into the Mount Cook National Park, stopping at Lake Tekapo with its stunning blue waters and the pretty Church of the Good Shepherd with its clear windows on to the lake. On to Lake Pukaki with the stunningly clear views of Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain at 12.316 ft.

We arrived mid afternoon at White Horse Campground, notorious for filling up quickly, grabbed a good sight with a view of Mount Sefton. Its just a car park and has toilets and water but its got location, location, location!

Had a half hour walk from the site to Kea Point then back for wine and dinner!

Met some great people from all over the world, all real friendly.

NZ MAGPIE

LAKE TEKAPO

CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD ON SIDE OF LAKE TEKAPO

VIEW FROMCHURCH WINDOW

LAKE TEKAPO

LAKE TEKAPO

LUNCHA T AVERY BUSY LAKE PUKAKI

LAKE PUKAKI

MOUNT COOK AND MT SEFTON

 

WHITE HORSE HILL CAMPGROUND AT MT COOK - A CARPARK REALLY WITH WATER AND TOILET BUT WHAT A VIEW!

MOUNT SEFTON FROM KEA POINT

MOUNT COOK FROM KEA POINT

                                                         KEA POINT

BANKS PENINSULA TO FAIRLIE Monday 5 February

A day's travelling to get nearer the Southern Alps. Stopped at Lincoln for more food, now we've got sorted with just how much we can store in Tallullah (our bijou camper)

Travelled via the Inland Scenic Route 72, through Rakaia Gorge which was nothing really like a gorge then using our offline Rankers app we got directions for our campsite for the night, Pioneer Park campsite, a Conservation campsite. Basic camping in a big open field with just a public toilet and water to drink if boiled.

Rankers is a fabulous app as its got everything you may need while travelling in New Zealand. All legal campsites, petrol, wifi, supermarkets, dump stations etc. And all available offline.

Weather was hot and sunny when we left but as we moved west the clouds thickened and temp dropped a bit but still able to sit outside with a jumper on.

We had a short walk from campsite straight up a steep, heavily wooded trail and what did we see in the deep, dark wood......a wallaby jumped across our path and in

to the bush! Fabulous but no photo! Locals say they are pests! I was overjoyed.

THE WALLABY TRAIL!

A DAY VISITING BANKS PENINSULA AND AKAROA

AKAROA HARBOUR

A great nights sleep, the bed is huge, but it is almost the size of the campervan!

Hot sunny day so we headed out to visit Banks Peninsula, formed following violent eruptions by three volcanoes. First European sighting by Captain Cook in 1770, the peninsula was named for Sir Robert Banks, the naturalist.
Akaroa, is a pretty seaside village with a french flavour nestled in one of the many bays.
We walked the length of Akaroa, then drove beyond to Onoku Maori Church, had lunch then drove back over the summit road to our campsite at Duvauchelle, its weird taking everything with you. 
Now that's the first plus I've got for a campervan - you don't forget anything cos its all with you!

OUR FIRST BREAKFAST

AKAROA LIGHTHOUSE

ONOKU MAURI MEETING HOUSE

INSIDE ONOKU MAORI CHURCH

ONOKU MAORI CHURCH

ONOKU MEETING HOUSE

OUTSIDE ONOKU CHURCH

TAWHIRI - MATEA THE GOD OF THE WIND - ROY SAYS ITS AN APPROPRIATE GOD FOR ME!

PACIFIC OCEAN

AKAROA HARBOUR