25.11.2017: The strenuous ascent towards the sky

Today we don't have to go very far. Mt Cook Village is only 80 km away from Lake Tekapo. On the way, we pass a lavender field, but unlike elsewhere, there are no purple buds to be seen yet. When we arrive in Mt Cook Village, our suspicions are confirmed - it's crowded! The parking spaces in front of the visitor center are almost completely occupied, with only two exceptions, and they are so tight that while a car can fit in, the people inside might have difficulty getting out. Since I'm a scaredy-cat when it comes to this matter and my vehicle doesn't have parking assistance, we make a quick change and Eric takes the wheel for the first time for about 1.5 meters. Once we've stored our food in the lodge's refrigerator, where we've booked a quad room for 2 nights, we set off again. It's cloudy and Mt Cook is mostly hidden behind a curtain of clouds. There is drizzle forecasted for the afternoon and rain all day on Sunday - and that's when you come specifically for the mountain panorama. We ponder whether we should tackle the 3-hour Sealy Tarns Track today when the weather outlook is better and luckily decide in favor of it. The ascent demands everything from the hiker. 1,800 steps lie ahead of us, each measuring a height of about 25 cm. Despite hiking poles, I have to take a break every 5-10 steps after a short while, and I'm also struggling with nausea, even though I drink quite a lot, at least according to my standards. Mt Cook is merciful and repeatedly fights its way through the clouds. The view is breathtaking and worth every hardship and muscle pain we'll feel tomorrow. The track ends at a bench with an unbeatable panoramic view. Here, we enjoy our lunch and a well-deserved longer break, during which we take dozens of photos. We don't walk all the way to the Sealy Tarns themselves. The track gives way to a loose, about 60-70 degree steep scree slope. We lack the strength, motivation, and water supplies for that, and besides, my wise guidebook says that the Sealy Tarns are just a few small ponds that are not that remarkable. So, like many others, we decide to descend. Soon, our legs tremble from exertion and our knees repeatedly send unpleasant stabs - we're getting old!

Once we reach the bottom, we all agree that the program for today is enough and drive back to the hostel. The rooms have their own bathroom, refrigerator, and a balcony with a (side) view of the snow-covered mountains. Unfortunately, they scrimped on the beds and mattresses. In the evening, we have plans with Isa. I met her last year in Whakatane. She's also staying in New Zealand until February and even plans to emigrate here. I'll definitely keep my fingers crossed for her dream! The kitchen gets crowded from 8 pm onwards, so Isa retreats back to the campsite (all the hostels in town are fully booked) and we retreat to our room.