Mountains and Marshmallows

Unzipping the tent to find Laura making me bacon, eggs and sausage whilst being surrounded by thick forest and the glimmering Lake Tekapo in view was an incredible way to start the day. New Zealand has just started to knock our ruddy socks off and it's just going to get better from here on in. The tingles are back in our feet and it feels brilliant!

After breakfast we decided to climb the three hour trek up and around Mount John which was just down the road. Within an hour we were at the summit with one of the most spectacular 360 degree views I think I've ever seen. Jagged snow topped mountains, rolling green hills and Lake Tekapo shining bright it's unique turquoise colour from the sun hitting the fine rock dust which is suspended in the water.

On top of the mountain is the clearest, darkest night sky in New Zealand and the University of Canterbury operate the Earth and Sky Observatory from here. They run a tour at 80 dollars each where you can their powerful telescopes to stargaze the magnificent out look to the Milky Way Galaxy, the Southern Cross and all the other ones I've no idea about. It was surely to be stunning but with the clouds moving over and the price a little steep we decided to watch the stars from our campsite later instead.

We carried on our circular loop around Mount John with every few steps needing another photograph especially when Lake Alexandrina came into shot. All that was missing was a decent cup of tea to go with it. Thankfully the cafe at the top sold giant cups worth, all was complete! We made our way back down along a different route past rabbits and flocks of sheep which I had great delight in running up to and scaring and made it back to camp.

Early evening brought a roaring sunset with it which I snapped at for at least an hour until some strong winds started to pick up from nowhere nearly pelting me off my feet and managing to rip our tent pegs into the air. We took refuge in our car which was being rocked from side to side and were glad not to be up on the mountain tonight. We waited there for the sky to darken and the stars to shine like we've never seen before but with the clouds covering the sky I think we could have counted the amount we actually saw- maybe next time!

The following day we set off to see the highest peak in Australasia- Mount Cook, and it's surrounding World Heritage area. The drive there was impressive enough with endless creeks twisting between massive great mountains with yet more divine lakes painting the scenery. However the very moment we entered the national park, huge clouds engulfed everything. The lady at the tourist information said we wouldn't see much of Mount Cook today with the fog but we could visit the Tasman Glacier instead, so we did.

We trekked past mighty big boulders and slabs of broken rock and reached Tasman Lake to the spectacle of ice from the last ice age. I had never expected to see icebergs, centuries old in New Zealand, this place just keeps getting more phenomenal by the day. The ice was so close I could almost touch it, but as we made our way towards some near the shoreline the winds picked up again and we had to hold steady to remain upright! Then came the rain, and soon after Laura and I were sat back in the car, not really wanting to get wet again whilst sleeping in the great outdoors. We had seen so much already and the camera has captured so many stills that we felt ready to move on. We headed for the nearby town of Twizel and another campsite.

The moment we left the National Park the weather was absolutely perfect again- it seems the mountain system holds the clouds and if we had stayed we were in for a soaking! Happy to be back in the warm sunshine we collapsed under the blue skies and relaxed, taking in the past few days and all we had done. Tomorrow we were on the road again for the beautiful, buzzing and thrill seeking Queenstown.