I left Wanaka in the morning, stopping briefly to photograph the now-famous “Wanaka tree”. This used to be a perfectly anonymous piece of vegetation until someone won a photographic competition with a picture of it, and since then it has been a magnet for selfie enthusiasts from all around the world. I was rather underwhelmed, but anyway here is my photo…….
I broke the roughly two-hour drive to Mount Cook at the Clay Cliffs, an interesting geological feature located 10km along a gravel road off the main highway. Entrance was by an unmanned gate with an honesty box requesting a $10 fee – which everyone seemed to pay (try that back home!)
Next, I stocked up with food at the small town of Twizel before taking the road north to Mount Cook, New Zealand’s tallest mountain (3724m). As I drove along the scenic Lake Pukaki, the mountain steadily grew bigger and bigger.
I checked into my hotel and looked forward to some interesting hiking the next day, with a forecast of sun all day. When I woke the next morning the weathermen had changed their mind, predicting sun and showers in the morning and rain in the afternoon. So I hurriedly got ready and set off along the Hooker Valley Track, a 10km walk that was supposed to give great views of Mount Cook. The promised sun was hidden by clouds and soon it began to drizzle – and later to rain. The overcast weather meant that Mount Cook remained stubbornly out of sight, but at least I could take some atmospheric photos of rainbows and mountains in the rain.
The track crossed three suspension bridges and ended at the Hooker Lake, at the end of the Hooker glacier.
I returned along the same path, with the rain falling harder and harder, and was relieved to get back to the hotel. I spent the afternoon relaxing and writing my blog, until in the early evening I noticed that the sun had finally appeared. Being a very stubborn teddy – and determined to take some good pictures for my readers – I put on my (still wet) hiking gear again and hurried off along the same Hooker Valley Track I had walked in the morning. In the evening sun it was completely different, with magnificent views of Mount Cook.
I reached the Hooker Lake and took more photos, but headed back when it started to get cold.
Halfway back, just as my clothes had dried out, it started raining again, and once I again I reached home a rather soggy teddy bear. Still, I was happy – I had had a full experience of Mount Cook in two very different sets of weather conditions. Tomorrow I would experience New Zealand’s most iconic mountain in yet another, very different, way. Stay tuned!
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