Welcome to another edition from our New Zealand adventure! I hope you enjoy this post, as this was one of the more photography heavy days we had on our trip so there are a lot of photos. If you would like to support the blog, the most direct way is to subscribe, like this article, and share it with friends. If you are interested in some merch and swag, check out the shop! I appreciate you reading, and I hope you enjoy!
After a restful night sleep in our camper van, Jenny and I rose early to carry on with our day. We quickly used the facilities, then spooled up the diesel to make our way to the small town of Twizel for breakfast. It was cold and grey when we left our campsite. Low flying clouds butted up against the mountains as we drove back around Lake Pukaki, and it made me a bit nervous for the day’s activities.
New Zealand is full of towns with delightful names like Twizel, Hokitika, Tanaka, and Lake Pukaki, and in most of these whimsically named towns, you can find a good assortment of cafes, diners, and coffee carts for your morning meal. Twizel was no exception, and we settled into a cozy little cafe called “The Musterer’s Hut” to have an espresso drink and a hearty breakfast. The Musterer’s Hut was a cozy little shop that reminded me of a Rocky Mountain ski shack. Jenny and I arrived right after they opened, ordered our coffee and food, then took a seat on a well-worn couch. We enjoyed our breakfast as the only patrons in the cafe, then hit the road as the temperatures warmed up and the skies got a little bit sunnier.
Jenny and I hit the road and steamed to Mount Cook National Park and our first stop of the day. I pulled the camper van into the Hooker Valley Trailhead, where we packed our day packs with lunch and water, quickly used the restrooms, and then set out on the Hooker Valley Track. This trail took us on a three hour round trip hike up to the Hooker Lake, a glacial lake with a backdrop of Mount Cook. Our first stop on our way to Hooker Lake was a monument commemorating a team of alpinists who perished in an avalanche after climbing Mount Cook in 1914.
From there it was a long hike across beautiful scenery. There were quite a few tourist hikers out with us, which was a bit of an oddity in our trip. Jenny and I had become accustomed to seeing very few people during the day while on our trip, so it was sometimes a little strange to run into a lot of people all at once.
Part of the attraction to the Hooker Valley Track was the series of suspension bridges that hoisted hikers above the river that runs along the valley floor. Most of these bridges were only designed to hold a handful of hikers at a time, so we would have to wait to take turns crossing the narrow walkways. Jenny and I hit the first of these bridges a few minutes after the alpinist memorial and continued on our way up the track.
The scenery on our hike was amazing, and we snapped hundreds of photos that day. The temperatures were a bit chilly at first, so I took the opportunity to wear the fingerless gloves that I bought back at Hobbiton a few days earlier. Jenny and I were smart, and layered up appropriately. As the temperatures rose, we were able to quickly stow our jackets, and the headband that had previously served to warm my head now served to keep the sweat out of my eyes.
At the end of the track, we found ourselves a nice spot to view Mount Cook and eat our lunch. Jenny and I enjoyed ourselves, sitting on the rocks and resting, washing down our convenience store sandwiches with Powerade. By the time we arrived at the end of the Hooker Valley Track, the temperature had warmed up, and we were able to bask in the sun for a few minutes before heading back to the camper van.
Two more hours later, we were back at the van and off to our next hike. At this point, my ankles and feet were pretty sore, so we kept it short. Short and mostly vertical, climbing 300 steps up to view the “Blue Lakes,” then a couple hundred more upward to view the Tasman Glacier.
By the time we reached the top, my feet were killing me, and I was doing my best to be pleasant company. We snapped a few pictures of the Tasman Glacier, then headed back down to the camper van to speed off to our next viewpoint.
Our next stop ended up being a visitor center/museum on Lake Pukaki, where Jenny and I were treated to the history of Mount Cook, a statue of a Tahr Ram and corresponding plaque describing the history of the Tahr in New Zealand, and a spot to get another cup of coffee. We perused the exhibits, snapped some more photos, drank our coffee, then hopped back in the camper van to head off to our next stop, Lake Tekapo.
The village of Lake Tekapo held several attractions for us. First, a spot to empty our camper van’s septic and grey water tanks. Next, a scenic view of Lake Tekapo along with a few other sights to see. Most importantly, an ice cream stand.
Due to its level of importance, Jenny and I decided to hit the ice cream stand first. The Kiwis serve their soft serve ice cream mixed up with fresh fruits. Jenny chose strawberries and mango for her ice cream, and it was delicious. I chose blueberries and banana, which I termed “The B&B,” and it was even better than Jenny’s combo.
After ice cream, it was time to empty the septic, but I will spare you the details. It was predictably gross, and I made sure to sanitize, wash, and re-sanitize my hands afterwards. We still had a bit of time until it was appropriate to eat dinner, so we moseyed over to the other side of Lake Tekapo village where there was an old church and a statue of a dog. We snapped a few photos, then went and found some souvenirs at a tourist trap.
Still too early for dinner, we stopped at the local 4-Square convenience store and stocked up on provisions for the coming days. We replenished our supply of pre-made sandwiches, which taste way better than the ones in the U.S., fresh milk, and snacks. With our little camper fridge re-stocked, we had just a little more time until the village’s restaurants opened up, so we made our way “downtown” to see if we could find parking.
After finding parking, we walked into a small bar that was attached to a restaurant. The restaurant wouldn’t open for another hour or so, but the bar was more than happy to serve us a couple drinks while we waited. At this point, I was dog-tired, and it felt good to get off my feet and just rest. Jenny and I polished off our drinks, then got a table in the restaurant right when they opened.
Our meal was roast duck, fresh harvested from the very lake we were looking at, and a tray of glazed carrots from a local farm. Absolutely delightful and not at all expensive. We devoured our food, still famished from our day of long hikes, and paid our tab so we could get on the road one last time that day.
This time, we arrived at the camp site while there was still daylight, so we took advantage of the awning and the camp chairs provided with the camper van and sat out in the fresh air. Jenny and I sat outside, enjoying a beer and a cider until the bugs realized we were out there and descended on us with a vengeance. We packed up our awning and our chairs, finished our beverages, and got ready for bed. Our next day would have us on yet another chilly adventure on New Zealand’s South Island.
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