RSSMount Cook
July 13th, 2004 Posted in Activities, Scenery, TravelMt. Cook is the highest mountain in Astralasia, at 3755 meters. After hearing stories of wind and rain, I arrived on a sunny day. Not a cloud was to be seen, and the wind was nonexistant. I had to find the best way to see it all, and photograph it for posterity. The YHA receptionist recommended a ski-plane flight, and I took it. A ski-plane is a plane with wheels and skis. It was a small plane, so small in fact that I had to sit next to the pilot. Know what…it was cool to sit next to the pilot. Up we went, and the view of the southern alps was spectacular. We passed by Mt. Cook from a variety of vantage points, then toward the sea, before landing on the largest glacier in New Zealand, Tasman Glacier. There I stood, at 7000 feet, on top of a 600m thick glacier, Mt. Cook looming in the background. Sweet as (as they say here). We then flew off and finished our journey. Many photos were taken. Afterwards, I visited the most famous hotel in New Zealand, The Hermatige, and had hot cholocate at their coffee shop. I also spent a few minutes on their indoor climbing wall.
\r\nThe next day I hiked to Hooker Lake. It was cool, as the four hour hike took me over two suspension bridges to the frozen lake. The Alps were close enough to touch. Very cool. Watched Pulp Fiction later that day. Got to relax the rest of the time, and chat with my English roommates and such. Amazingly, it was sunny all three days I was there, with only the faintest of clouds on the third day.
Related posts:
