New Zealand - South Island (4)

(Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook, Christchurch)

One thing that cannot be missed on the South Island is MOUNT COOK. Aoraki/Mount Cook, often simply called Mount Cook, is part of the New Zealand Alps and is also the highest mountain in New Zealand. It stands at 3,724 meters and can be viewed by helicopter or on foot. We opted for the more affordable option and took a hike on the Hooker Valley Track to Mount Cook. The track turned out to be the most beautiful hiking trail that we have experienced in New Zealand. The scenery was stunning and we thoroughly enjoyed the walk to Mount Cook. Afterwards, we walked to the Blue Lakes and visited the Tasman Glacier. However, the effects of climate change were evident here as well, and soon there may not be much of the glacier left to see.

In the evening, we stargazed at the famous Church of the Good Shepherd in Lake Tekapo, and I even managed to capture a few stars with my phone, which is almost impossible. But that's a testament to how intense the night sky was there.

Our last few days in New Zealand were spent in Christchurch, and Stephie and I went horseback riding in Springfield. Christchurch is the farthest city from Stuttgart, so I couldn't have been further from my actual place of residence. If you want to check it out, you can find it here: http://furthestcity.com

The horseback riding was quite challenging for me since it had been over 12 years since I last rode a horse. And when I clumsily mounted the horse and it briefly bucked, I felt even more uneasy on its back. But in the end, I survived without any bruises and had fun too ;-)

And with that, this part of our New Zealand trip comes to an end, and we continued from Christchurch to Melbourne in our last destination of this journey: Australia :-)