Mt. Cook: The Tallest Mountain in New Zealand!

Okay so where did I leave off… I feel like I have been telling a really awesome story to you all! This chapter is pretty sweet!

Wednesday:
So we were awake and ready to go by 8:30 – we were changing buses, drivers and some passengers. It was really sad not seeing the friends we had made on our trip. The bus was a charter – super big and so much more confortable but the diver was not very friendly and wasn’t the best driver. Oh well!

We only had two photo stops today. The first I honestly don’t remember the name… but it was such an awesome drive – it looked like the desert!

The second photo stop was Lake Pukaki. This and other glacier lakes are of course fed by glaciers and have what they called glacial flour. It gives the lake a beautiful blue color. We drove around it and headed into Aspiring National Park which is home to Mt. Cook – the largest mountain in New Zealand.

mount cook is to the left of me in the background

When we finally made it into the park and to our hostel we dropped off our stuff and headed out to a hike to Hooker Glacier and to see the base of Mt. Cook! The weather was beautiful so it was a great day for a walk! The 10K hike was so lovely and has stunning sights! We crossed beautiful bridges, rivers, lakes, hills just some of the most beautiful walks I have ever been on.

We finally arrived, saw some of the glacier and then saw ICEBERGS!!!!!  The water in the lake was so milky looking but absolutely freezing (I put my hand in it)!!! The area was really cold and windy but it was so much fun to witness the natural beauty.

crazy water color 

we ate dinner here - this view is just crazy awesome! 

Rangitata and Christchurch are next J

 ps. I only have 9 more days of teaching left - kind of sad about it!! 

this is the view when we left the next day!