Winter 2019 - NZ 22 To Mount Aoraki/Mt. Cook

NZ 22    To Mount Aoraki/Mt. Cook

Moeraki Boulders

We still had ground to cover, so the next morning after our Castle visit we were again in the saddle early. Today’s destination is the base of Mount Cook or Aoraki in the Maori language.  Or let’s just say we will try to get close to Mount Cook, the highest Mountain in NZ. We need to cover about 320 km to get to it but there are also things to see on the way.

So let’s start off with the Moeraki Boulders. A fascinating stop! Yes, we had to walk way down a long stair case, down to the beach and then traipse through the beach sand in our riding boots, but… to me it was worth it. Carol waited on top of the stairs where she could still see the boulders.

Very Large Boulders

 

There is something alien about those stones. I know the scientific explanation, you can hear it in attached link, click on the video inside the link, but don’t you agree that this looks like a man-made object? Too round to be naturally made? To me they looked like pods, something seemed to be hidden inside, yet there are some cracked open stones lying about and there really is nothing inside. Well, maybe the aliens left?  To me they look like giant pearls or pea-like things that might hatch at any moment. I loved this spot.

Nothing But Rock Inside the Boulders

Now we come to our hunt for the Blue Penguin in the town of Oamaru.

Carol and I had a map; we had been told there might even be an Albatross near. Those birds need lots of room and a long runway to take off into the sky. We drove all through the neighborhood, even asked locals were the penguins could be, we rode into backyards, rode up some hills, rode and rode but…NO penguins. We saw signs with an arrow pointing this way, followed it but…NO penguins. And… we did not see any Albatross, either. No flying, landing or taking off Albatrosses. After a while I thought we were being led by our noses. Are there Blue Penguins? According to the Wiki page there are, yes.

But we never saw them, we tried, we really did. Carol loves penguins.

Albatross:  We saw a few on the Drake Channel a few years ago but I had not seen them land or take off. We thought we could see them in NZ, but again, we tried…. No Albatross!  Maybe it’s the wrong time of year?

Stunning Scenery at the Church of the Good Sheppard

The Church of the Good Shepherd stands in a wonderful setting and is situated with a spectacular backdrop. It’s not a big church, but this church was erected in memory of the pioneers who settled this area. They thought a large church was not needed. When it was built, it was done with great care; care was taken to not disturb the natural surroundings. Today, many tourists come to just take a picture, have a look around, and then leave. Carol and I did this, too. We rode in to see the setting,

Inside the Church

smiled, took a picture, and then left. It was a bit strange for me to do this, I don’t like churches, but the setting of this building is wonderful. I even went inside for a look, something I normally don’t do, either.

Our ride today was a most stunning experience. We rode past Lake Pukaki towards Mt. Cook. The water of the lake is the most brilliant aqua color due to being fed by glaciers. The color of the water could not have been more vivid. 

Mt. Cook Behind Lake Pukaki. What a Beautiful Ride

The road (Rte. 80) was a 2 lane road hugging the west side of the lake. While this route 80 is a cul-de-sac, ending at the foot of Mt. Cook, the road was well paved, well taken care of. I guess many people travel this way and NZ is proud of the surrounding vistas and sights. Every once in a while, observation points were set up to stop and meditate and get a feel for the surroundings. Spectacular is the only word I can think of. It was a spectacle to see how everything comes together here. The vivid blue, turquoise, aqua waters of the lake; the distance of the vistas, visible from the road we are on with the snow-capped mountains as a backdrop, all of it was just fantastic. We are riding in an advertisement picture.,

Had Dinner Inside the Chalet Hotel Where the Mountains Are Reflected in the Glass

It took all day to get to our hotel at the foot of Mount Cook. It was not the listed Chalet Hotel in our brochure but Fred’s people had changed our stay to be at the Hermitage Hotel. Well we were part of the Hermitage, not in the main building you see in the advertisement, but here at the more Chalet-like buildings. I did not mind the name or the change; it was perfect for our one night stay. Even though we had to walk to the main building for

Our Chalet at the Hermitage Hotel

dinner and then again for breakfast, it was just fine. In fact, I would almost say I preferred this accommodation to the more posh-looking place shown on their webpage.

We had a fine time at this ‘end of the world' location. The road, the paved road, ended at this hotel. After this there were a few hundred yards of gravel and then just mountains. 

Mt. Cook looked down on us, we could see this majestic view of him during the day but wow, what a picture this was during the evening, or at night when the full

Sunset on Mt. Cook

moon shone on to the top, lighting up all the snow still clinging to the sides of this behemoth; said to be: 3724 meters (12,218 feet) above sea level. It’s the highest point in NZ. I have seen many a mountain, but this specimen is a good one. Or was it the place from which we saw it, or the moonlight. I guess all of this came together. We all, the whole group were a bit awestruck. 

A great stop on our travels through NZ.

Moonlight on Mt. Cook

And somehow a fitting end to our Motorcycle Tour.