The ferry from the North Island to the South Island was more expensive than expected. Then again, it is one of the most beautiful cruises in the world. That last hour maneuvering Queen Charlotte Sound before arriving in Picton was pure magic. From there, we took the scenic route, also called Queen Charlotte Drive, along the northern coastline towards Abel Tasman, NZ's smallest national park but also its most popular. Here, we started walking the Coastal Track with deep, green forest on one side and ridiculously turquoise water on the other. We followed the track for a couple of hours until we got to Observation Beach where we had a cold but invigorating swim.
Making some scenic stops along Queen Charlotte Drive
Walking in Abel Tasman National Park
At Observation Beach
From there, we headed south and had a grey, serene morning at Lake St. Arnaud in Nelson Lakes National Park before the rain started to pour. We sought refuge in our car and drove down the West Coast. The heavy rain and foggy sky turned the sea completely grey like an old photograph but the rainforest to our left was still a brimming green. It was quite a sight. Turning east, we arrived at Arthur's Pass National Park just as the dark clouds broke apart and pieces of clear, blue sky came out. We had enough time for a short afternoon hike to the misty Devil's Punchbowl Falls. Then the rain started again and we decided to camp out in our car that night after a cozy evening in a camping shelter cooking dinner and drinking hot chocolate.
Morning at Lake St. Arnaud
Going towards Devil's Punchbowl
We got a little wet
Nothing beats an alpine landscape and some wildflowers
Spot the rainbow
The rain coming back in
The weather was kind to us the next day and we spent some beautiful, sunny hours doing different hikes around the park. As we were walking along the bottom of the pass, I spotted a steep zigzag line up one of the mountain sides and I just had to do it. Malli and Danni were not so keen though and passed the time playing cards at a cafe while I went up by myself. It was a tough one and chilly and windy on the top but that is the price you have to pay to get the best views. Then we drove south again and camped on the edge of Lake Mapourika. The water was warm enough (or should I say not too cold) for a late afternoon swim and the stony bank perfect for a camp stove pasta dinner in the golden sunset.
Exploring Arthur's Pass
Lake Mapourika
The next day, we drove down to the Franz Josef Glacier, the 4th biggest one in NZ, and went on a walk in the woods. For two hours, we zigzagged through lush, wet forest climbing up gigantic roots and under fallen trunks until we gained enough altitude and reached alpine country = no trees to block the incredible views. On the top, we treated ourselves to some chocolate for our troubles and back down in the village, we celebrated our feat with a burger. Then we drove on for about twenty minutes to Fox Glacier and pitched up our tent at a hostel. Pure joy to get a hot shower and some cold beer at the hostel bar.
Hiking through the forest
Reaching alpine country
And we made it to the top with a pretty good view of the Franz Josef Glacier
Going back down
It was too cloudy to see the Fox Glacier the next morning so we made a tough decision and chose to move on rather than waiting out the weather. This turned out alright as the next few hours of driving ended up being some of the most beautiful we have ever experienced. We drove over rivers and streams of baby blue while spotting snow-covered peaks all around us. Then came the vast lakes of Wanaka and Hawea surrounded by dark mountains which outlines looked like someone had tried to draw a straight line while driving on a gravel road. After some lunch and a swim in the township of Wanaka, we turned north again and drove through pointy, cubist mountains covered in pale green grass that looked like a soft carpet. Then came the open, dry alpine landscape decorated with sky blue channels less than an hour from Mt. Cook, the tallest mountain (3724 m) in NZ. We camped out for the night and got up early the next morning droving along Lake Pukaki as the sun was coming up.
Lake Wanaka
Lake Hawea
At Lake Wanaka
Driving next to Lake Pukaki at sunrise with Mt. Cook in the background
Arriving at the Mt. Cook Village, Danni and I had a tough hike in front of us. Descriptions of the Mueller's Hut Route state somewhere between 1800 and 2200 steps and that is just half the ordeal but I promised to buy Danni a beer on top at the hut. The steps were a real challenge but that also meant that we were ascending quickly getting some beautiful views of Mt. Cook and the surrounding mountains and glaciers early on. When the steps were over, the trail became a lot more varied and a lot more fun. First, it was steep and rocky demanding us to use our hands sometimes. Then came the snow. I have no idea how but miraculously we managed not to slip and then we were on top of the lower part of the ridge. We still had to ascend some more jumping on giant boulders up the ridge and crossing even more snow but then, we finally arrived at the red hut. Though it was busy, there were no beer. Open for overnight stays, it did not have the service of many European mountain huts. No rich 1-euro espresso like the Italian Dolomites or Union radler like the Julian Alps in Slovenia but we could fill up our bottles with ice cold water from melted snow. Soaking in the burning sun on the wooden deck, we listened to breaking glaciers that sounded like thunder and the voices of other happy travellers reaching the top. Also, I will buy Danni that beer, just at a bar at the bottom of a mountain rather than the top.
Going up thousands of steps
Extreme focus trying not to fall
Getting closer...
Almost there...
We can see the hut...
And we made it!
Danni asked me to get up there next to Mt. Cook
Lake Pukaki was pretty goddamn blue when we drove back again
Continuing north, we made a short stop at Flock Hill where they filmed the final battle scene from the first Narnia film. Though a barbed wire fence kept us from getting in, we did get to see it and play around on the rocks and boulders that surrounds it. Then we came to Kaikoura, a coastal town on the eastern side of NZ north of Christchurch, that is all about marine life. Here, we caught a boat that took us about 20 kilometers out from shore where we got to see two sperm whales coming up for oxygen. Heading back to shore, we stumbled upon a large school of playful dolphins that jumped around and swam in front of the boat. Needless to say, we were pretty excited.
Playing around next to Flock Hill
In Kaikoura
The tail of a sperm whale diving
Dusky dolphins
Finally, it was time to drive down to Christchurch where we had a day of exploring before we had to put Malli on a plane. It was a long goodbye hug but Malli had to get home in time for her birthday and Danni and I still had the car for another ten days, plenty of time to explore to go deep south.
One last adventure with Malli in Christchurch (of course I was doing all the work)