Tarzan can pack up!

"The South Island is much drier in terms of climate," he said... Kurt...

I seriously wonder if we just have some bad luck, or if the South Island is simply a big rainforest. Maybe you know those butterfly houses that you find in some zoos. Exactly, the ones with 900% humidity. That's pretty much how it feels here in the last few days. In other words, it's raining constantly. We seem to have caught a rainy period after a long drought. Great for New Zealand nature, but not so great for tourists. 🙄 But let's not complain too much!

On our way north, we were able to explore some great spots again. Starting with a truly impressive lake that we spontaneously came across on our route. Lake Tekapo. (We didn't even have it on our radar) I was fascinated by the stunning location between the mountains. The lake with its radiant blue and clean water lies in a valley between the adjacent mountains. It's a must-see!

One of the sights that we more or less planned to see were the "Blue Pools". These are various spots along a watercourse that lead to truly turquoise-colored water. They are easily accessible via a small hiking trail through the rainforest and two suspension bridges. The journey there is already spectacular. You hike through a forest that reminds you of the deepest jungle. You feel the desire to wield a machete! Simply amazing! The mentioned suspension bridges almost look makeshift. Tine had some issues with them. She's not a big fan of bridges! 😁 I'll attach some pictures from this area.

After a somewhat restful night, we continued on our way north. Next stop: Pancake Rocks.

The Pancake Rocks were a definite must-see that we had planned. However, the lady at our last campsite also recommended a small hiking trail with a viewpoint platform that we absolutely had to check out. The Truman Track. Just under 2km away from the Pancake Rocks. Turns out: great tip!

A really great hiking trail leading to a spectacular bay by the sea. The platform also offers a small staircase to walk by the water. I'll also attach some pictures.

But now for the actual attraction. This absolutely remarkable rock formation actually looks like a monstrous pancake mountain! All that's missing is maple syrup!

A very well laid out "circular route" takes the ambitious tourist to all the important and picturesque parts of the Pancake Rocks. Of course, due to its popularity among New Zealand tourists, this circular route is well visited. But due to its size, it's easy to walk without feeling crowded. I actually expected more crowds.

We ended the day with a well-deserved "after-work beer" at the Kiwi Park & Motels Holiday Park. A super cute place with an adjacent "petting zoo". I have never seen an emu and a deer eat from the same bowl before! And a mini kangaroo?! A fitting end to the day!

On our way to Picton, we're now trying to catch one of the coveted kayak tours before crossing over to the North Island.

Unfortunately, I'm not able to upload the appropriate pictures immediately. I'll do that at the next decent Wi-Fi hotspot!