Mackenzie Country

From Geraldine we drove to Fairlie where we stocked up on supplies. Research had suggested that civilisation around Mt Cook included restaurants but not supermarkets. Driving on we entered Mackenzie Country: mountains, sheep, blasted tussocky grass, the odd pine tree, and the largely invisible farmers and border collies who run this part of the world.

It all looked spectacular till we rounded a bend and there was Lake Tekapo.

Facing the lake is the little Church of the Good Shepherd. The congregation have no paintings above the altar - just a window.

There is a sculpture by the lake honouring border collies.

Our next jaw-dropping moment was buying coffee nearby. $4.50!

If we thought the waters of Lake Tekapo were a brilliant blue, the sight of Lake Pukaki was downright otherworldly.

Top right of this picture you can see that the north of the lake was enveloped by cloud.

The last part of our drive to Aoraki Mt Cook took us into torrential rain. As the Alps closed in, so did the cloud. By the time we reached our hotel, great sheets of rain were blowing sideways across the landscape. Mt Sefton reared up just outside our bedroom window - we hoped to be able to see it by evening.

And just as the weather report said it would, the rain and clouds lifted at 8.00 pm.

Once again, the photos today give you no real sense of what it felt like to look at these places. It looks ‘pretty’ in the photos but they cannot give you the chill wind on your face or the sense of awe.