Songdoc's 5th Trip to Gorgeous New Zealand: A Trip Report
Jun 27th, 2013, 04:27 PM
#1
Original Poster
Songdoc's 5th Trip to Gorgeous New Zealand: A Trip Report
This was our fifth trip to New Zealand. Ostensibly, we were there to teach songwriting workshops, but the truth is that we chose to present the workshops in the "Land of the Long White Cloud" because we love it there. I travel with my life partner who runs my business. We’re 57 & 61.
For those who would rather look at pictures than read about the places we saw, here’s a link: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=2QctG7hu0ZMNu
We arrived in Auckland May 28th after three wonderful weeks in Australia. (That’s been posted as a separate report.) Our accommodation was a 1-bedroom apartment at the Chifley suites—one block from bustling Queen Street, and a short walk to the waterfront. It cost $128/nt. We liked everything about the apartment—but a couple of times the noise was bad. Most nights, earplugs blocked the construction and traffic noise, but on our final morning we were awakened at 4:30AM by drunken singing on the street, five stories below. Sadly, for that reason I wouldn’t stay there again.
I only had one full day off in Auckland, and several partial days when I wouldn’t be working. On previous trips we’ve scheduled more time for vacation and visited the beaches west of Auckland, the Bay of Islands, Wellington, the Kapiti Coast, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Abel Tasman, and Rotorua. FYI, we loved Abel Tasman, and the area surrounding Rotorua so much that we’ve visited twice.
On our one full day off in Auckland this time a dear friend (who coordinates our business in NZ) took us on a Discovery 360 boat from Auckland Harbour to Tiritiri Matangi Island, a wildlife and bird sanctuary with a number of rare and endangered species. It was a pleasant 45-minute boat ride, including a stop in Gulf Harbour to pick up additional passengers. Besides being a beautiful place to spend the day and walk, “Tiri” (as it’s referred to) is a bird lover’s paradise, with tuis, fantails, owls, silvereyes, grey warblers, bellbirds and spotless crakes. The fantails were incredible, flitting so close to us we were afraid we might step on one. We’d packed a picnic lunch and ate while watching tuis at their feeders. It was a relaxing, wonderful day.
During a couple of additional free hours we enjoyed wandering around Albert Park, as well as the Domain, with its walking paths, greenhouses, and fountains. It’s across from the Auckland Museum, but we didn’t have enough time to go there.
Food: We had a very good meal at the Ironwood Café in the trendy Mt. Eden area (where our friend lives), but most of our meals were at the food arcade in Ponsonby. There were more varieties of authentic, inexpensive Asian food than I could have imagined, and we enjoyed all of the meals we had there.
Before I leave Auckland I’ll mention that the conventional wisdom seems to be that you fly into Auckland—and immediately leave. IMO, there are plenty of nice things to do and beautiful places to see in and around Auckland. But most people have a very limited amount of time in NZ, and the truth is that in terms of scenery, Auckland doesn’t compare with places like Queenstown—and that’s what I think most people visit NZ for. It's a perfectly fine city--but not on par with Sydney-or even Wellington. Sorry Auckland ...
To be continued …
For those who would rather look at pictures than read about the places we saw, here’s a link: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=2QctG7hu0ZMNu
We arrived in Auckland May 28th after three wonderful weeks in Australia. (That’s been posted as a separate report.) Our accommodation was a 1-bedroom apartment at the Chifley suites—one block from bustling Queen Street, and a short walk to the waterfront. It cost $128/nt. We liked everything about the apartment—but a couple of times the noise was bad. Most nights, earplugs blocked the construction and traffic noise, but on our final morning we were awakened at 4:30AM by drunken singing on the street, five stories below. Sadly, for that reason I wouldn’t stay there again.
I only had one full day off in Auckland, and several partial days when I wouldn’t be working. On previous trips we’ve scheduled more time for vacation and visited the beaches west of Auckland, the Bay of Islands, Wellington, the Kapiti Coast, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Abel Tasman, and Rotorua. FYI, we loved Abel Tasman, and the area surrounding Rotorua so much that we’ve visited twice.
On our one full day off in Auckland this time a dear friend (who coordinates our business in NZ) took us on a Discovery 360 boat from Auckland Harbour to Tiritiri Matangi Island, a wildlife and bird sanctuary with a number of rare and endangered species. It was a pleasant 45-minute boat ride, including a stop in Gulf Harbour to pick up additional passengers. Besides being a beautiful place to spend the day and walk, “Tiri” (as it’s referred to) is a bird lover’s paradise, with tuis, fantails, owls, silvereyes, grey warblers, bellbirds and spotless crakes. The fantails were incredible, flitting so close to us we were afraid we might step on one. We’d packed a picnic lunch and ate while watching tuis at their feeders. It was a relaxing, wonderful day.
During a couple of additional free hours we enjoyed wandering around Albert Park, as well as the Domain, with its walking paths, greenhouses, and fountains. It’s across from the Auckland Museum, but we didn’t have enough time to go there.
Food: We had a very good meal at the Ironwood Café in the trendy Mt. Eden area (where our friend lives), but most of our meals were at the food arcade in Ponsonby. There were more varieties of authentic, inexpensive Asian food than I could have imagined, and we enjoyed all of the meals we had there.
Before I leave Auckland I’ll mention that the conventional wisdom seems to be that you fly into Auckland—and immediately leave. IMO, there are plenty of nice things to do and beautiful places to see in and around Auckland. But most people have a very limited amount of time in NZ, and the truth is that in terms of scenery, Auckland doesn’t compare with places like Queenstown—and that’s what I think most people visit NZ for. It's a perfectly fine city--but not on par with Sydney-or even Wellington. Sorry Auckland ...
To be continued …
Jun 27th, 2013, 11:22 PM
#3
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Hi, songdoc.
Good to hear you got to see "Tiri". DH and I spent a day there a few years ago, and were amazed that we were able to see the birds we knew were not common. A revisit is on the agenda within the next couple of years when we visit our daughter, son-in-law and grandson over Christmas.
Looking forward to the next instalment.
Good to hear you got to see "Tiri". DH and I spent a day there a few years ago, and were amazed that we were able to see the birds we knew were not common. A revisit is on the agenda within the next couple of years when we visit our daughter, son-in-law and grandson over Christmas.
Looking forward to the next instalment.
Jun 28th, 2013, 03:01 PM
#6
Original Poster
“So, Songdoc … what did you do in Kauai?”
“I wrote my New Zealand trip report!”
rncheryl: thanks so much for the nice comments. FYI, there’s a link to my Australia pix in that trip report.
annhig: I hope this report will help you, but bear in mind that with it being my 5th trip, I've previously gone to many fantastic places that we didn't re-visit this time.
And now ... back to our regular scheduled trip report:
When we’d finished working in Auckland we flew to Queenstown—thanks to Melnq8’s advice on this forum. Great suggestion!!! (Thanks Melnq8!)
This would begin the real “vacation” portion of our trip. It was incredible before we even arrived—because the flight over the Southern Alps gave the kind of views you’d pay for on a flightseeing tour. Wow!!!
The Queenstown airport must have the most beautiful views of any airport. It was quite a welcome to see those towering snow-covered mountains when we walked off the plane!
We stayed at Hurley’s Quality Inn, which I’d booked as a “mystery room” with kitchenette for $123/nt. at wotif.com. We were surprised to be given a room with a great view—and a Jacuzzi tub—at that price! The only negative was that we were on the 2nd floor and there was no elevator. That meant dragging our suitcases up, but no big deal.
The last time we were in Queenstown (4 or 5 years ago) our friend’s sister was working as a tour guide specializing in LOTR tours, and she gave us an amazing tour of Skipper’s Canyon, and many other Queenstown highlights. This time, she was recuperating from surgery, and relegated the tour guide tasks to her daughter and son-in-law.
Queenstown has quite a reputation to live up to as being New Zealand’s “Jewel in the Crown” when it comes to scenery—and it did not disappoint. We had bright sunny days, and the snow on the mountains was stunning.
On day 1 we strolled into town in search of lunch. Wandered into a shopping mall food arcade where we had exceptional roast chicken platters with small amounts of pumpkin squash, and two kinds of potatoes. It was fantastic! Then our “tour guides” took us on a long, beautiful walk beside the Kelvin Heights golf course—across the lake. Beautiful views!
On day 2 we were taken to Glenorchy—about a 45-minute drive. I was surprised to learn that the "orch" is pronounced "ork." I'd assumed it was like "torch" or "porch." It seemed that almost everything was pronounced differently than I'd anticipated.
The drive was sooo beautiful. My only complaint was that there weren’t enough places to pull over and take photos of that gorgeous scenery. There’s not much in the tiny town—it’s all about the views. It was officially the first day of winter, and although it was bright and sunny, it was FREEZING and very windy on the pier, so we didn’t stay long. We browsed the neat old wooden cabin selling clothing and blankets made from possum skins then enjoyed lunch and coffees at the only café that was open.
On the way back we stopped at a beautiful area (they were ALL beautiful areas!) and walked along the beach. Took more photos then headed back to Q’town for a long walk along the lake at sunset—and at least a hundred more photos of snow-capped mountains.
FYI, breakfasts were in our room. Dinners were at our friends’ home, so not much to report in the food department.
The next morning we packed up and headed out on our adventure: a drive to Christchurch with overnight stops in Mt. Cook and Lake Tekapo.
To be continued …
“I wrote my New Zealand trip report!”
rncheryl: thanks so much for the nice comments. FYI, there’s a link to my Australia pix in that trip report.
annhig: I hope this report will help you, but bear in mind that with it being my 5th trip, I've previously gone to many fantastic places that we didn't re-visit this time.
And now ... back to our regular scheduled trip report:
When we’d finished working in Auckland we flew to Queenstown—thanks to Melnq8’s advice on this forum. Great suggestion!!! (Thanks Melnq8!)
This would begin the real “vacation” portion of our trip. It was incredible before we even arrived—because the flight over the Southern Alps gave the kind of views you’d pay for on a flightseeing tour. Wow!!!
The Queenstown airport must have the most beautiful views of any airport. It was quite a welcome to see those towering snow-covered mountains when we walked off the plane!
We stayed at Hurley’s Quality Inn, which I’d booked as a “mystery room” with kitchenette for $123/nt. at wotif.com. We were surprised to be given a room with a great view—and a Jacuzzi tub—at that price! The only negative was that we were on the 2nd floor and there was no elevator. That meant dragging our suitcases up, but no big deal.
The last time we were in Queenstown (4 or 5 years ago) our friend’s sister was working as a tour guide specializing in LOTR tours, and she gave us an amazing tour of Skipper’s Canyon, and many other Queenstown highlights. This time, she was recuperating from surgery, and relegated the tour guide tasks to her daughter and son-in-law.
Queenstown has quite a reputation to live up to as being New Zealand’s “Jewel in the Crown” when it comes to scenery—and it did not disappoint. We had bright sunny days, and the snow on the mountains was stunning.
On day 1 we strolled into town in search of lunch. Wandered into a shopping mall food arcade where we had exceptional roast chicken platters with small amounts of pumpkin squash, and two kinds of potatoes. It was fantastic! Then our “tour guides” took us on a long, beautiful walk beside the Kelvin Heights golf course—across the lake. Beautiful views!
On day 2 we were taken to Glenorchy—about a 45-minute drive. I was surprised to learn that the "orch" is pronounced "ork." I'd assumed it was like "torch" or "porch." It seemed that almost everything was pronounced differently than I'd anticipated.
The drive was sooo beautiful. My only complaint was that there weren’t enough places to pull over and take photos of that gorgeous scenery. There’s not much in the tiny town—it’s all about the views. It was officially the first day of winter, and although it was bright and sunny, it was FREEZING and very windy on the pier, so we didn’t stay long. We browsed the neat old wooden cabin selling clothing and blankets made from possum skins then enjoyed lunch and coffees at the only café that was open.
On the way back we stopped at a beautiful area (they were ALL beautiful areas!) and walked along the beach. Took more photos then headed back to Q’town for a long walk along the lake at sunset—and at least a hundred more photos of snow-capped mountains.
FYI, breakfasts were in our room. Dinners were at our friends’ home, so not much to report in the food department.
The next morning we packed up and headed out on our adventure: a drive to Christchurch with overnight stops in Mt. Cook and Lake Tekapo.
To be continued …
Jun 29th, 2013, 01:34 AM
#7
On day 2 we were taken to Glenorchy—about a 45-minute drive. I was surprised to learn that the "orch" is pronounced "ork." I'd assumed it was like "torch" or "porch." It seemed that almost everything was pronounced differently than I'd anticipated. >>
because it's scottish, songdoc. so it's pronounced with a soft "ch" sound as in Loch Lomond.
any time you'd like to share your "highlights of NZ" with me, I'd be most grateful.
but for now, I'll just lap up the TR.......
because it's scottish, songdoc. so it's pronounced with a soft "ch" sound as in Loch Lomond.
any time you'd like to share your "highlights of NZ" with me, I'd be most grateful.
but for now, I'll just lap up the TR.......
Jun 30th, 2013, 10:02 PM
#13
Original Poster
Images2: thanks so much for the nice comments!
We’d barely left Queenstown when my car decided to pull over at Lake Hayes Reserve. What a gorgeous spot. (You can see from the photos. I took lots and lots of them.) Next stop: Arrowtown. I liked seeing the old buildings, but it’s a bit too touristy for me—mostly shops and restaurants.
Back on the road … we pulled off at a lookout that had great views of a gorge. The little placard stated that we were traveling through Central Otago. It was a beautiful, scenic drive. I wanted (or needed) coffee—so we stopped off at a quaint little café across from “The Nose” winery. Had a delicious flat white, enjoying the setting of the quaint Red Drop Café. Said "hello" to a field full of sheep, then got back on the road.
I couldn’t resist pulling over for multiple photo stops—especially when a backdrop of solid snow-covered mountains suddenly appeared. They didn’t look like they could possibly be real. More photos at the summit of Lindis Pass. It was fun and exciting for us to see—and be in—so much snow. (Had no idea how much snow we would soon be in!)
On the road to Mt. Cook (Hwy. 80) we stopped at Peter’s Lookout at Lake Pukaki. Gorgeous. The glacial blue water with those snow-covered mountains were truly stunning. But, the views were even better when we returned, coming from the other direction.
We’d almost reached Mt. Cook Village when we decided to follow the sign on Tasman Valley Road to do the Tasman Glacier Lake hike. It was a windy, gravel road, but not a problem. The hike was moderate, with some steep sections and rocks to navigate. There were great views of the Tasman Valley. We didn’t add the side trip to the Blue Lakes, but we could see them quite well—and whoever named them must have been colorblind ;-). I guess they were a glacial blue at some point, but they’re now a murky green.
At the top of the climb we were rewarded with views of the Tasman Glacier Lake. The late afternoon light was all wrong for photos, but we still liked seeing the lake with its icebergs floating in it. I don’t know if it looks different when the sun shines on it, but unlike other glacial lakes I’ve seen, this one was dishwater gray. But icebergs are cool, so it got extra points for that ;-).
The days were short and the sun was starting to set as we reached our hotel, the Mt. Cook Aoraki Lodge. The room ($139.00 NZ) was cozy (meaning, small!), but it offered a stunning view of Mt. Cook. The hotel has a communal kitchen and dining area with absolutely amazing views.
The next morning we put on all of our layers of clothes, and walked over very slippery pavements to the visitor center. The center was quite impressive, and the person behind the counter suggested the Hooker Valley Walk. This is the most popular walk in the area—and it was easy to see why. Wow! We were there on an exceptionally clear day, and the views of Aoraki/Mt. Cook were great. Apparently, its peak is often shrouded by clouds.
What a great walk! We crossed swinging bridges and were surrounded by snow with views of majestic Mt. Cook. Part of the trail required walking over rocks in a stream. It was a bit challenging, but well worth it. I’d brought cheese, crackers and fruit, and sat on a boulder with rushing water surrounding me as I ate and took in the beauty.
The walk is estimated to take 4 hours, but we sliced off a bit at the end, and did 3-1/2 hours. Stopped at the Hermitage Hotel to check it out and get our much-needed caffeine fix before hitting the road. The views from that hotel are amazing—but then again, the views were amazing everywhere!
As mentioned above, the drive back offered views of Lake Pukaki that surpassed the views on the way there. Gorgeous! Now … on to Lake Tekapo.
To be continued …
We’d barely left Queenstown when my car decided to pull over at Lake Hayes Reserve. What a gorgeous spot. (You can see from the photos. I took lots and lots of them.) Next stop: Arrowtown. I liked seeing the old buildings, but it’s a bit too touristy for me—mostly shops and restaurants.
Back on the road … we pulled off at a lookout that had great views of a gorge. The little placard stated that we were traveling through Central Otago. It was a beautiful, scenic drive. I wanted (or needed) coffee—so we stopped off at a quaint little café across from “The Nose” winery. Had a delicious flat white, enjoying the setting of the quaint Red Drop Café. Said "hello" to a field full of sheep, then got back on the road.
I couldn’t resist pulling over for multiple photo stops—especially when a backdrop of solid snow-covered mountains suddenly appeared. They didn’t look like they could possibly be real. More photos at the summit of Lindis Pass. It was fun and exciting for us to see—and be in—so much snow. (Had no idea how much snow we would soon be in!)
On the road to Mt. Cook (Hwy. 80) we stopped at Peter’s Lookout at Lake Pukaki. Gorgeous. The glacial blue water with those snow-covered mountains were truly stunning. But, the views were even better when we returned, coming from the other direction.
We’d almost reached Mt. Cook Village when we decided to follow the sign on Tasman Valley Road to do the Tasman Glacier Lake hike. It was a windy, gravel road, but not a problem. The hike was moderate, with some steep sections and rocks to navigate. There were great views of the Tasman Valley. We didn’t add the side trip to the Blue Lakes, but we could see them quite well—and whoever named them must have been colorblind ;-). I guess they were a glacial blue at some point, but they’re now a murky green.
At the top of the climb we were rewarded with views of the Tasman Glacier Lake. The late afternoon light was all wrong for photos, but we still liked seeing the lake with its icebergs floating in it. I don’t know if it looks different when the sun shines on it, but unlike other glacial lakes I’ve seen, this one was dishwater gray. But icebergs are cool, so it got extra points for that ;-).
The days were short and the sun was starting to set as we reached our hotel, the Mt. Cook Aoraki Lodge. The room ($139.00 NZ) was cozy (meaning, small!), but it offered a stunning view of Mt. Cook. The hotel has a communal kitchen and dining area with absolutely amazing views.
The next morning we put on all of our layers of clothes, and walked over very slippery pavements to the visitor center. The center was quite impressive, and the person behind the counter suggested the Hooker Valley Walk. This is the most popular walk in the area—and it was easy to see why. Wow! We were there on an exceptionally clear day, and the views of Aoraki/Mt. Cook were great. Apparently, its peak is often shrouded by clouds.
What a great walk! We crossed swinging bridges and were surrounded by snow with views of majestic Mt. Cook. Part of the trail required walking over rocks in a stream. It was a bit challenging, but well worth it. I’d brought cheese, crackers and fruit, and sat on a boulder with rushing water surrounding me as I ate and took in the beauty.
The walk is estimated to take 4 hours, but we sliced off a bit at the end, and did 3-1/2 hours. Stopped at the Hermitage Hotel to check it out and get our much-needed caffeine fix before hitting the road. The views from that hotel are amazing—but then again, the views were amazing everywhere!
As mentioned above, the drive back offered views of Lake Pukaki that surpassed the views on the way there. Gorgeous! Now … on to Lake Tekapo.
To be continued …
Jul 1st, 2013, 09:35 AM
#16
Original Poster
<so it was off of 80 before the village, right?>
I would never remember ... but I kept my brochure until I'd written the report;-).
Yes, the turn-off for the Tasman Glacier Walk is well marked on Hwy. 80, between the Mt. Cook Airport and Mt. Cook Village.
I would never remember ... but I kept my brochure until I'd written the report;-).
Yes, the turn-off for the Tasman Glacier Walk is well marked on Hwy. 80, between the Mt. Cook Airport and Mt. Cook Village.
Jul 1st, 2013, 12:41 PM
#17
That is a gorgeous drive out to the Tasman Glacier Walk, along the edge of a forest patch for a ways. It is gravel but was well maintained, at least a few years back.
The brochure "Walks in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park" is downloadable and has the info.
The brochure "Walks in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park" is downloadable and has the info.
Jul 5th, 2013, 10:36 AM
#20
Original Poster
It was a short drive (under an hour—even with my nonstop photo stops) from Mt. Cook to Lake Tekapo. I expected a stunning, blue glacial lake. Instead I found a lake in an absolutely beautiful setting, framed by snow-capped mountains—but the water wasn’t blue, and it wasn’t in the same league as the glacial lakes I’ve seen in Norway and the Canadian Rockies.
Our hotel was the Lake Tekapo Scenic Resort ($145.00/nt. NZ). The room was fine—but the views were WOW!
We crunched a short distance over the ice to the edge of the lake. With the Church of the Good Shepherd nearby, everywhere I turned was another picture postcard photo opp. We strolled and snapped, then checked out the restaurants. The town is tiny and everything was within easy walking distance. We settled on the Thai Teapot, and had an excellent dinner ($60 NZ for two).
We’d pre-booked a stargazing tour at Mount John Observatory with Earth and Sky tours. The $125 per person price was a bit daunting, but it was well worth it. We dressed with layer upon layer atop our thermal underwear, and when we arrived, we were handed enormous, hooded parkas to put on top of our coats and other layers! I couldn’t imagine needing so much clothing. (WRONG!) We were also given a souvenir keychain that emitted a soft, red light so that could find your way, without significantly contributing to the light that could detract from the ability to see the stars.
A shuttle bus took our group up the narrow, winding mountain roads, and as we approached the observatory, the driver cut the lights. With the darkness being such a precious commodity for star- and galaxy-gazing, the town goes to great effort to keep light at a minimum. We were told that Mount John is one of the four best places for stargazing on Earth. I don’t doubt that.
It truly looked like a backdrop—with the Milky Way seeming as if it had been painted on with a thick, wide brush. There were two telescopes, and clearly, the highlight of the tour was seeing Saturn—with its rings so well defined, it looked as if a little “Saturn” sticker had been stuck on the lens of the scope ☺.
Everything about this tour was first-class, and there were no additional charges. The guides were knowledgeable and personable. They used laser pointers to show us the constellations in the Southern sky. For those with DSL cameras there was an astro-photographer who set up cameras on posts to photograph the astounding night sky. They also served hot cocoa. With all of the clothing I felt I could have spent a month in Antarctica and not been cold. But I was glad to have the parka they provided, and the gloves and scarf I’d brought. The café was open as a shelter for those who wanted to escape the cold or sit for a while.
At the end of our time on the mountain our group was posed for a photo with that amazing night sky behind us. We were able to download that photo (at no additional charge) online. It was a truly wonderful, memorable, experience.
The next morning, we awoke to one of the most spectacular sunrises I’ve ever seen. The view from our window was breathtaking. It looked like a painting. We walked down to the lake and back to the church for more photos, then hit the road for the long drive to our final destination: Christchurch.
To be continued …
Our hotel was the Lake Tekapo Scenic Resort ($145.00/nt. NZ). The room was fine—but the views were WOW!
We crunched a short distance over the ice to the edge of the lake. With the Church of the Good Shepherd nearby, everywhere I turned was another picture postcard photo opp. We strolled and snapped, then checked out the restaurants. The town is tiny and everything was within easy walking distance. We settled on the Thai Teapot, and had an excellent dinner ($60 NZ for two).
We’d pre-booked a stargazing tour at Mount John Observatory with Earth and Sky tours. The $125 per person price was a bit daunting, but it was well worth it. We dressed with layer upon layer atop our thermal underwear, and when we arrived, we were handed enormous, hooded parkas to put on top of our coats and other layers! I couldn’t imagine needing so much clothing. (WRONG!) We were also given a souvenir keychain that emitted a soft, red light so that could find your way, without significantly contributing to the light that could detract from the ability to see the stars.
A shuttle bus took our group up the narrow, winding mountain roads, and as we approached the observatory, the driver cut the lights. With the darkness being such a precious commodity for star- and galaxy-gazing, the town goes to great effort to keep light at a minimum. We were told that Mount John is one of the four best places for stargazing on Earth. I don’t doubt that.
It truly looked like a backdrop—with the Milky Way seeming as if it had been painted on with a thick, wide brush. There were two telescopes, and clearly, the highlight of the tour was seeing Saturn—with its rings so well defined, it looked as if a little “Saturn” sticker had been stuck on the lens of the scope ☺.
Everything about this tour was first-class, and there were no additional charges. The guides were knowledgeable and personable. They used laser pointers to show us the constellations in the Southern sky. For those with DSL cameras there was an astro-photographer who set up cameras on posts to photograph the astounding night sky. They also served hot cocoa. With all of the clothing I felt I could have spent a month in Antarctica and not been cold. But I was glad to have the parka they provided, and the gloves and scarf I’d brought. The café was open as a shelter for those who wanted to escape the cold or sit for a while.
At the end of our time on the mountain our group was posed for a photo with that amazing night sky behind us. We were able to download that photo (at no additional charge) online. It was a truly wonderful, memorable, experience.
The next morning, we awoke to one of the most spectacular sunrises I’ve ever seen. The view from our window was breathtaking. It looked like a painting. We walked down to the lake and back to the church for more photos, then hit the road for the long drive to our final destination: Christchurch.
To be continued …
