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Lake Tekapo is our final stop in The Goat. What a trip we've had. Mike reckons we have done around 2,500 kilometres in our green and purple van over the last three weeks. So what to do while at this dinky little resort. Take a helicopter ride over the southern alps of course!
Our 9 am flight took us to Mt Cook, New Zealands highest peak,over 12,000 ft, and then we landed on an ice dome over 7,000 ft. The helicopter only held five including the pilot so it was quite a white knuckle ride over the mountains and ridges. Harriet got vey excited about seeing all the glacial features up front. Mike was just excited!
We touched down on the snow dome for 10 minutes to take in the fantastic surroundings,we took loads of fotos but they don't really show the magnificence of the landscape.
We saw tahr, himalyan mountain goat, they had been released into the wild over 100 years ago to encourage tourism - to hunt them. The herd had expanded so much that they were destroying the native grassland, but after culling they are in managable numbers.
The flight lasted about 40 minutes but what a 40 minutes.
Back in Lake Tepako we had morning coffee and then hoofed it up Mt John, a small hill home to a number of telescopes put there because the night skies are so good here. The view was fab and we saw another glimpse of Mt Cook and laid out before us the intense blue of Lake Tepako fed from local glaciers.
After a spot of lunch we decided we needed to relax so paid a second visit to the Tepako Springs spa (the first was yesterday afternoon after we arrived from Cromwell). It was wonderful, the warm waters soothing our aching muscles after all the tramping and activity over the last few weeks. And extra indulgence we followed this with a massage.
But the activities didn't stop there. In the early evening Chris and Brian arrived from Christchurch in their hired campervan. We met up and enjoyed a lovely social evening over a thai meal and nz sav blanc. They are just starting their holiday as we are ending it.
We said good night after marvelling at the star filled skies above the camp site.
Tomorrow we leave for Christchurch hoping that we can get all our stuff back into our cases.
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Chris & Brian We really enjoyed our Thai meal with you. As you started your journey home today we went white water rafting ( scary but great fun!) and then drove south to Te Anau. Now considering our options for Fox Glacier in a few days time - to 'heli' or not ?! Off to Mildord Dpund tomorrow. Talk or email soon. Lol C & B xx