Week 8: Farewell to the South Island

1-April

See the problem is, even short hikes around Queenstown have such dramatic topography that I’m absolutely winded. Queenstown Hill though provided fantastic views over the little city and Lake Wakatipu. Some therapeutic rock stacking added to the collection already on the summit, and roaming around was just like the scenery from Lord of the Rings.

2-April

Adventuring can be exhausting, so a day to stroll around the harbor and gardens was needed, and when your hostel has a fireplace, why not just take a nap? The bus is going their separate ways, and we said farewell to some of our bus-buddies.

3-April

Lake Pukaki

Queenstown, nutty place that it is, it’s been real. It’s time to head north again, up towards Lake Pukaki which offered views of Mt Cook in the distance, reflecting in the blue glacial-fed waters. An extensive canal system connects the area’s lakes to hydroelectric plants, which collectively supply 70% of NZ’s energy! Dropped off at the airport to join Air Safaris for an unforgettable flight over Lake Tekapo, glacial braided rivers, blue glacial lakes, ice-fields and the Murchison Glacier, the névés of the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers far below. Crossing the Alps, the cloud-covered west coast stands in stark contrast to the barren mountains to the east, and Mt Cook (aka Aoraki the cloud-piercer) and Mt Tasman tower over the surrounding region. Our pilot pointed out the landforms left behind by the last large glaciation. A hike later on offered views of Lake Tekapo and the Mt John observatory, in the perfect place to observe the un-polluted skies of the South Island.

Godley River delta into Lake Tekapo and upstream glacial-fed lakes

Mt Cook from Air Safaris flight and Southern Alps looking north

Glacial hummocks and Mt John south summit

Mt John over Lake Tekapo

4-April

Nothing beats a single-room cabin for NZ$30 that has views of the sunrise over the Lake! On top of that, school groups who leave behind heaps of free breakfast food at the hostel are also extremely appreciated. Today featured more dramatic changes in scenery as we drove from the dry rain-shadow of the Alps into the fertile farmlands of the Canterbury Plains. Things began to look familiar again as we cruised into Christchurch, though there wasn’t much to do around other than sit in the park to soak up the sunshine. Tomorrow I say haere rā to the South Island and kia ora to the North.