56.-61.Tag - NewS EALand

With a touch of nostalgia, we look back on our short 'gardener life', but already have our next adventure in mind: The target is Lake Tekapo, only about 300 km from Waipara.

This turquoise blue glacier lake is a popular holiday destination, which is why we escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy the beautiful view from the observatory.

After the freezing night (3°C) at the campsite, we explore a hidden gem on the shore.

Then we pass the next lake, Lake Pukaki, on a winding road through the landscape to the base camp of Aoraki/Mount Cook. Together with what feels like 1000 other people, we camp right at the glacier tongue (700m altitude). Great view, it's just awe-inspiring.

In the Department of Conservation (DOC) museum, we learn interesting details about New Zealand's highest mountain and the surrounding glaciers. The next morning, we start early in the Hooker Valley to admire the reflection of the summit in the glacier lake and escape the crowds of hikers.

On the way, we come across and get very close to many keas.

On the way to the next destination, we make a stop at the Clay Cliffs, bumping along a gravel road that makes us fear for our car. But it handles it easily.

Finally, we arrive at the well-mixed campsite, where tourists in one-man tents or hippie buses line up next to locals with their own cabins.

Despite the bad weather forecast, we dare to climb the Rocky Mountains (or is it the Rocky Mountain?) on Saturday. From up here, Lake Wanaka looks like a fjord.

The town center and campsites are packed and everyone is getting ready to ring in the new year. We're not quite sure what to make of all this hustle and bustle, but we'll spend New Year's Eve in Wanaka or the surrounding area anyway.

In the next destination, Queenstown, there is supposedly even more going on, but we'll see. :)

Happy New Year!