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02/4/2005 - Christchurch to Mt Cook- Day 2 Wake up at 6:00am . After having our breakfast (self-prepared tuna sandwiches), move out and heading to Mt. Cook . Driving out of city is much easier. Pass by the braided Rakaia River and climb up to highly scenic Mount Hutt . Saw lime kilns along Mt Somers and Staveley before reaching Fairlie and Geraldine. Somewhere around here, we start to see green farmland with little white dots - sheep...sheep. All of us are quite excited and decided to stop by the road to take some photos from them (meh-meh is so cute). (Pic - 02a), (Pic - 02b) & (Pic -02c) Later we reach Lake Tekapo at its southern end of the lake. Wow! The view is incredible. Big scenery is the order of the day - huge panoramas of lake with mountains, and massive amounts of sky. Again, I am not ready for the incredible views. We stopped and have lunch by the Lake (fish and chip) while enjoying the view, with accompany of ducks and seagulls (fed them too). Lots of photo taking opportunities. Quite reluctant to leave before driving to Lake Pukaki thru the Tasman Valley . Lake Pukaki beauty is different; she has opaque turquoise color (Later, found out this is cause by fine glacier-ground rock particles held in suspension). (Pic - 02f). Continue our way by driving along Lake Pukaki to Mt Cook. The landscape is a mixture of high country tussock, lake and snow-capped mountains(Pic - 02g) & (Pic - 02h). Driving is difficult because the beautiful landscape distraction, and Hun took over the sterling wheel: - ) Not before long, we reach Aoraki / Mt. Cook National Park . After check-in to YHA, we took our first trail at this fantasy land of ice and rock. The trail is well planned, saw some strange tree and plains, with jagged peak mountains(Pic - 02i). At the end of the trail, saw glacier for the first time and hear it roar(Pic - 02j). And Mt Cook(Aoraki), the highest peak in Australasia standing at 3755m. The sight was indeed very beautiful. (Pic -02k) We were so soaked up with the view that we were the last team to leave the area, with some regret ; - * The temperature drop very fast after sunset, and chilling strong winds. It was quite a struggle to get out from the trail, all are tired and hungry. Once back to YHA, cooked ourselves dinner. It was a frantic scene, 5-6 teams cooking at the same time in the kitchen. I guess all mountaineers, trail trekker, adventurer were very hungry. What a day! Note: Mt. Cook YHA is a unique building (Pic -02l).
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