New Zealand South Island - Mt Cook

This is our first New Zealand Blog. Christchurch was interesting but the really good part of the South Island is the wild country and isolation. There is just so much eye popping scenery literally everywhere you turn. Here are a selection of images from our trip to Mt Cook, at 13,700 ft, NZ's highest peak ( Carrantouhill in Co Kerry is 3414 ft).

Mt Cook is snow covered all year round, and has glaciers on each side. This first shot is Lor on the Tasman glacier which sort of resembles the surface of the moon (well we haven't been there yet actually but you get the picture).

D in front of Mt Sefton. The glaciers on Sefton visible in the background look amazing in the evening light.

D in front of Mt Sefton (again!). Different T-shirt though for added excitement.

Rumour has it the moon landings in 1969 were faked and filmed here on the Tasman glacier. I can well believe this. Here is our mode of transport - an 8 wheel argo. In case you are wondering where all the ice is its under all of that grey stony surface. However if you look in the background over our shoulders you can see where the current above ground ice flow terminates on the upper valley.

The little bearded guy turned out to be a gifted mountaineer.

And so did Lor. Here she is getting over her fear of heights by standing on a large rock.

Mmm, what could this be - yes you guessed right. Its a glacier.

And this ??!!

This is the melt water lake at the end of the Tasman glacier. Look closely. See the white things floating in the water? They are actually icebergs !

No really. Look below.

See??

Ok, another day another glacier.

Well hell I'm just glaciered out. Would you like ICE in that G&T?

Here is a shot of the surrounding area - as you can see its pretty wild ( in the outdoory kinda sense)

Here is a picture of some interesting twigs.

And for a bit of variety a lake (in front of a glacier).
Ok, you probably had enough. We will leave you with one more picture of the summit of Mt Cook. Check here again soon for more riveting reports from the BIG TRIP.