Mt Cook/Aoraki National Park

Day 04/22nd Oct
Mount Cook / Aoraki NP

It was sunny as we drove along Mount Cook Road.
The journey along Lake Pukaki to Mount Cook Village was spectacular but alas a long road, going on and on along the shore.

The Southern Alps range was awesome. It looked just like a black and white movie reel running parallel along side our car.





At Mount Cook Village

Hermitage Hotel (old/new)


Sir Edmund Hilary's statue at the Alpine Centre


Dedication to the great adventurer/mountaineer

On the way to Oamaru, we passed through Twizel, and saw many antique cars..perhaps because there was a vintage car museum nearby

There was a carathon to Mt Cook to commemorate a special occasion.

this lady is 88 years old -the car lah


Retiring in NZ in such homestead would be a dream


ALTAVADY farm

Lake Tekapo and Pukaki to Mt Cook Park

Day 04-22nd Oct/Saturday

Started out before 9.0am, we drove to our intended destination for the day.
This drive thru SH8, is about 130kms.

This the indicative driving time from the internet :-
30 minutes Fairlie - Lake Tekapo
1hr 15 minutes Lake Tekapo - Mt Cook


Fairlie-Lake Tekapo
Lake Tekapo->Mount Cook
Mount Cook->Oamaru
Total : Approx 400km oh H80 & H83












Burke's Pass, on the top of the Pass-2500 feet above sea level- a grand view of the Mackenzie country or basin.

Note: The basin was named in the 1850s by and after James Mckenzie (or in his native Scottish Gaelic: Seumas MacCoinneach), a shepherd and sheep thief of Scottish origin, who herded his stolen flocks in what was then an area almost totally empty of any human habitation, After his capture, the area was soon divided up amongst new sheep pasture stations in 1857.

background is Mt Cook/Aoraki National Park

One hour later, at Lake Tekapo
magnificient view ..photo does not justice to the real beauty


Church of the Good Shepherd

Built in 1935, it as a humble stone building to glorify God and in memory of pioneers.



Momument of the ever famous 'must photographed' tourist attraction on the lake.

Collie dogs, which without, the cowboys will become insane, chasing/rounding up sheeps/cattle in the pastures yonder.



Continuing on, we arrived at Lake Pukaki.

Wikipedia:
Lake Pukaki is the largest of three roughly parallel alpine lakes running north-south along the northern edge of the Mackenzie Basin on New Zealand's South Island. The others are Lakes Tekapo and Ohau.

We were really awed by this sight

The 3 peaks as seen above are
La Perouse (3079m). Mount Cook at 3764m & Mount Tasman (3,497m).

In case you are wondering why I am so smart to know the mountains and their heights, just please refer to the below tablet, found at the lake side, just in front of this magnificient view, for dummies like me



Mount Cook from Lake Pukaki

On way to Mt Cook Village
These mountain range looks black and white, like from the movie.

Journey to Fairlie

Day 03-Oct 21/Friday
Christchurch-Fairlie

Christchurh -> Fairlie / about 200km



Departed Christchurch late morning to start our first destination.
Fairlie, known as the Gateway to Mackenzie Country.
220km and approx 2 hours drive away, for non-stop driving on SH8 motorway.

Toilet cum leg stretching stop at Ashburton, a nice quiet town.




Of mountains, sheeps and farmhouses


It was cloudy and abit chilly drive from Ashburton to Fairlie, with rain coming down half way through our journey.



3 hours later, we arrived at Fairlie, a little nice town.
This was our rest for the night, Aorangi Fairlie.
Motel was run by an lovely retired couple.

Room with cooking facilities, heated floor and e-blanket to keep warm. It was really cold that night as it was drizzling all nite.



We drove around Fairlie, a town of old buildings

Quiet&peaceful, after a shower


noticed how clean the roads are

Venturing further, we crossed this river, with exposed stony bed. It was beginning of spring and the snow has not melted.





Lake Opahu
one of the many many lakes in NZ.





Tat's our western home-cooked dinner

Tomorrow was going to be a long day as we would be driving to Mt Cook/Aoraki NPark.

New Zealand - Colours of Spring

Spring is such a lovely time
Colourful flowers blooming every where

from far, this tree looks green, which the eyes may deceive as leaves

but it's actually flowers in green

Sojourn to South Island-New Zealand

Ten months after we bought the tickets, we finally left for our 2 weeks holiday to South Island, New Zealand.


Day 01-19th Oct/Wed
KL/Christchurch
Departing @ almost midnite, the uneventful flight was less than 10hours. We have pre-booked on board meals, which was served twice during the journey. For more leg comfort, we had the Hot Seat.



Day 02-20th Oct/Thursday
Christchurch
Arriving just before 3pm local Christchurch time (NZ is 5 hours advanced), immigration was swift. Only had to show our homeward bound tickets and were given 3 months visa.




Collected our rented car, and we were off to our rest for the night.
Btw, no need to apply for international driving licence. Just get an English extract of your local driving licence. Fees = RM10.00/licence. Document validity same as your local licence.

Room at Holiday Park @Meadow Street.

The unit comes with 2 rooms, full kitchen facilities and can sleep upto 6.

Early rest today as we were tired due to no good sleep on the plane and the next day we would head out to Fairlie.

New Zealand is one damn CLEAN & COURTEOUS COUNTRY !