Day 12 - Gone with the Wind

Since we were expecting bad weather, we came prepared with everything in our arsenal to combat wind and rain. However, when we started our journey, we were surprised by the weather. It was dry! And partly sunny. The weather remained stable throughout the trip.
As we passed Lake Tekapo, we made a quick stop to admire the sight of a completely bright blue lake under the semi-visible morning sun.

About 20 minutes later, we stopped briefly again to see where exactly we were going. And as luck would have it, we found ourselves at another blue lake.

That's when we saw where we were headed, and it didn't look inviting... The weather report seemed to be right.

But a little bad weather doesn't stop us.
So, off we went into the storm front!

When we arrived at Mount Cook, our motivation was somewhat dampened. Nevertheless, we put on our rain jackets, packed our ponchos, and covered our backpacks with waterproof covers before setting off on our march.

After just 2 minutes of walking, we had to take a short mandatory break. The trail we had planned to hike for the day was (or maybe still is) closed from the first suspension bridge. At that moment, it wasn't understandable to us because it was only slightly windy and rainy, but unfortunately we had to comply. We wanted to see the trail anyway, so we started walking, even though it was only until the first bridge.

Shortly after, we could see why the bridge was closed. With every step, the wind started pulling harder on our rain jackets. (The Asian hiking enthusiasts who had taken the same path had their ponchos almost blown away.)

When we reached the (temporary) end of the trail, the wind was so strong that we probably wouldn't have crossed the bridge even if it hadn't been closed. It was a challenge just to stand upright. But we still had fun:

On the way back to the parking lot, we encountered more hikers coming towards us, but they apparently hadn't expected such bad weather. Armed with sneakers, regular jackets, and umbrellas, they returned completely drenched, probably taking the shortest route.

Equipped with wind and rain protection, we took on a slightly shorter track that wasn't closed. On the way to the viewpoint, we realized that we weren't as well-prepared as we thought. Because unfortunately, our rain jackets only go up to just below the waist...

Soaking wet (but with dry feet and a dry torso), we reached our destination.

And about two minutes and five photos later, we ran back. With a strong tailwind, we made good progress and quickly reached the car, although our pants were soaked and our legs were cold.

Initially, I was very skeptical about hiking in such weather, but in hindsight, I must say that the storm and the rain made this short trip a real adventure. With the right clothing, it can be really fun (thanks to my shopping advice before the trip, without which I probably wouldn't have had any rainproof clothing with me). And as beautifully written in the hostel last night:

'Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain!'

So, we set off towards our next location, Oamaru. But it seemed like the weather wanted to stay at Mount Cook. Just after we reached the previously passed blue lake, the rain stopped. The rest of the journey was very pleasant, with some sunny periods as well.

When we arrived at our accommodation, we spontaneously decided to follow the recommendation of a staff member. So, we went to the harbor, where there are supposed to be penguins. And indeed, there are penguins there. Small penguins, about 30cm tall, with bluish feathers. The downside is that you're not allowed to take photos there. But I can assure you that they are really cute as they waddle around.

As a consolation, I can offer you a picture of me if I were an animal:

So, in that sense: I'm going to sleep now!

PS: The delay of today's blog is due to water damage to my phone and the terrible Wi-Fi in our last accommodation.