In the New Zealand Alps

After a rainy morning in Christchurch on the South Island, we head towards Lake Tekapo. The sun slowly breaks through the clouds and we hope for a clear night. This region is known for its breathtaking starry sky, so much so that UNESCO wants to declare it the first World Star Heritage. Since all accommodations in Tekapo were fully booked, we decided to spend the night in the car. We park at a peaceful camping spot and wait for it to get dark. Unfortunately, the moon is too bright and there are still some clouds hovering above us... At half past four in the morning, we wake up: it seems we underestimated the temperatures with our sleeping bags. But a glance out the window shows us that it was worth it. The moon is no longer visible, but there are thousands of stars everywhere - truly breathtaking. A few hours later, frozen to the bone, we make our way to the famous Church of the Good Shepherd. Unlike yesterday when we arrived (a Chinese wedding party was taking photos everywhere), hardly anyone is here now and we can watch the sun rise behind the mountains. Then we continue to Mount Cook. The weather today is perfect. The sun is shining and the cold of last night is quickly forgotten. We drive along Lake Pukaki towards the mountain, which is still hiding in the clouds to some extent. Our first stop is the Tasman Glacier. Unfortunately, it has retreated so much that it can only be seen in the distance. In front of it is a dirty glacier lake. At Mount Cook itself, we decide to take the Hooker Valley Track. We pass by the impressive Mueller Glacier hanging in the rocks, cross a suspension bridge, and walk through amazing scenery all the way to Hooker Lake. The glacier behind it is completely dirty and hardly recognizable. However, Mount Cook towers above it all. An incredibly beautiful backdrop. By now, all the clouds have disappeared. A wonderful day.