"Tramps and Hookers"

Nick at Lake Tekapo
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On Monday afternoon we journeyed down from Kaikoura to Christchurch and spent the afternoon there, wandering around the city and the beautiful botanical gardens. We just stayed the one night, visited the Antarctic centre in the morning and then got back in the car to drive down to Mount Cook (or up to it whichever way you look at it). The Antarctic centre was really quite interesting as it was all about NZ presence in Antarctic and the temperatures, wildlife etc.

We then continued with the road trip on from Christchurch. Photos are attached. People say that the South island in NZ has some amazing scenery and I think that this is where for us it really started. You drive along wide open plains that stretch for miles with huge walls of mountains on all sides. The colours and views are spectacular so when you chuck in some bluey-green lakes, cleansed naturally by the pumice to make them crystal clear, it really becomes jaw dropping.

"wide open plains that stretch for miles with huge walls of mountains on all sides"

Road trip scenery
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We went through Lake Tepako and then onto Mt Cook. The town is really small (250 people) and in winter becomes a ghost town but now there is just enough to service the few tourists that are left. We took the opportunity today to go on a 'tramp' (Kiwi's word for hike) up the 'Hooker Pass' which took us over Glacial melt lakes up to the Hooker Glacier terminal. The weather was kind and we had perfect views of Mt Cook and it's neighbourhood. After that we had enough energy to go on another small 'tramp', to Kea point, before coming back to relax at our base camp.

View from the YHA lodge - not bad eh?
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Tonight the calls for energy food are strong and I think a few beers/wines may be sank...clearly a very stressful Wednesday. Tomorrow Queenstown.

Well tomorrow came and just as we were setting off down route 80 towards Queenstown we saw the signs for Glentanner Airport and with perfect clear blue skies we thought we would investigate the helicopter opportunities.....You know just pop in on the off chance.

Ten minutes later we were jumping around like excited kittens booked in for a half hour flight. As neither of us had ever been near a helicopter there was a bit of adrenaline pumping as the time got nearer but there was absolutely no way we would back out.

Brave guy on the broken glacier
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The flight itself was much smoother than either of us expected and we quickly glided up past perfect views of Mt Cook and it's surrounding Ben Ohau mountains towards a landing point up on a glacier at 10,000 ft up. A few pictures later and we cruised around with some more huge grins across our faces as we headed back, ambition fulfilled.

Before setting off again we just had time to soak up the views at the Tasmin Glacier Lake where icebergs sprinkle the water before heading off down South.