Yesterday I had a day off!!!! Slept in for a change, then wandered about the town, enjoying the stores, fall colours on the trees around the lake, and generally enjoying the cafes, while people watching around the waterfront. Sun was out, although a little cool, but good walking weather.

Today we travelled north through the historic gold mining region of Kawarau Gorge, through the Lindis Pass and into Mackenzie Country. Again extremely rugged vistas, changing into farmland. The foothills began to appear again, as we traavelled around the shores of Lake Pukaki. And then we had our first glance of Mount Cook.! As we drove closer, it's majesty got bigger and bigger! We stopped for a few hours at Mount Cook Village called Aoraki. The area was again so breathtaking, and full of opportunities for hiking and mountain climbing. There was a wonderful museum dedicated to the history of Sir Edmund Hiillary and mounaineering history. He used this mountain to train for his climb on Mt. Everest. A wonderful 3D plantariium and movie theatre offered excellent shows on the climbs, this history of this area and the famous Hermitge Hotel, as well as scientific matters.

We continued north to the very turqoise blue glacial fed Lake Tekapo where once again I enjoyed the majestic scenery of the Southern Alps. The terrain then changed yet again to the patchwork of the Canterbury plains before we arrived at Christchurch once again.