The weekend with adventures in the south with Celia and Ange

 Hi,

What an amazing weekend. It was a long time coming as this was a part of a present for Celia's birthday in January 2021! Finally got it together and covid co-operated and we made it to launch day!

Friday morning saw Mike drop me at the airport. Thank you, Mike. Caught my 8.30am flight to Chc - delayed by only 10 mins or do despite the late running arrival of our plane. Fog covered the ground in Chc when we took off from Wellington, but luckily it had cleared by the time we landed. Dropping through fog until we saw the runway and landed just fine. 

Goodbye Wellington

Ubered to the Coffee Co-op in Addington to meet Toby and Tessa. Tessa is on the job hunt and had an interview close by. Had a lovely brekkie and then Tessa drove us to their flat via a supermarket.

Hello Chc

That's my boy - with giant hands

Another iced latte

We had time for a quick coffee at Coffee Culture with them before I drove the van to Chc airport and awaited Celia's arrival on her 1.30pm flight. Picked her up without a hitch - her flight was so on time! Good work Air NZ. Headed out on the inland route to Methven. Lots of music (sorry, Celia) and great fun! Stopped at the cafe we like in Methven for some sustenance. Had a big gravel road detour just south of there for some work in some gorge or other.

Got to Tekapo around 1730. Ange had driven up from Dunedin and had got there a bit before us. We went for a walk in town ahead of our meal. The moon was almost full. File that tidbit away for what we were there to do the following night. Yes. Poor planning. Sigh.

Lake Tekapo at night

Our accommodation (33Star) was so lovely. New wee 2 bedroom place (connected to a bigger place with a family in it - but totally separate). Lovely big bathroom for me and Celia to share. Ange had an ensuite. Good place - 5 stars, would recommend.

Selfie on walk bridge

Yep - hey there weekend crew!

That is moonlight shining brightly on the Church of the Good Shepherd

After dinner at a pub with not a lot of veg options, we were back at the house and I slept like a log. Up for run - but the big frost sent me scurrying back to bed. Up eventually to find brekkie at Greedy Cow. Everyone should go there if they need brekkie in Tekapo. Yum! Also bought lunch for our spontaneous trip to Aoraki Mt Cook.

Greedy Cow rates high in my book!

Lake Pukaki looking like the slice of heaven it is!

We drove through fog for some of our journey from Lake Tekapo to Lake Pukaki. As we got to Lake Pukaki the fog was starting to lift.

Stunning views.

I love NZ.

Headed up the valley to the Mt Cook village. Got a pic in front of Ed's statue. Looking staunch - like him.

Me and Ed

Kea stained glass. And my hair is on-point!

Okay - I want these windows in my house

Then we did the Kea Point walk (an hour return) and got gorgeous views onto Mt Sefton and Aoraki. Simply stunning. Ange also pointed out the track (can you call it that??) up a ravine to Mueller's Hut. She had done that when she was 18. And I so want to do it. In Summer. Looks like a tough scramble straight up for many hours for me. DoC says 4 - 6 hours up. And a similar amount (3 - 4) down. I will need poles. But I reckon it is now on my bucket list.

Mt Sefton looking magnificent

Aoraki right there - by my finger!

Looking stunning!  Mountains look awesome too.

We got back in the car after the Kea Point walk and drove up the Hooker valley to the Tasman glacier walk. I think it was a 40 min return walk.

The views there were amazing. Aoraki behind us - the glacier at the head of the glacial lake. Wee icebergs in the lake. I was so taken with this place.

We also crossed the start of the Alps to Ocean 300km bike trail. So doing that one day soon too.

Tasman glacier behind us

Back for tea at our wee house in Lake Tekapo. Ange had brought wee quiches - including one just for me. We ate those before the exciting 6.55pm meeting for the Dark Sky Project night.

Telescope!

Me and my pass for the Dark Sky night

The lanyard had a red light torch on it - you pressed a button and it lit up. But the full moon meant we could see everything - I reckon with my glasses on, I could have read a book easily. We saw our shadows cast by moonlight without any bother.

The Summit Experience wasn't running, so we did the Crater Experience instead (they had mentioned this to us via email and we decided to go anyway). I do not think there is a lot of difference - except we would be on Mt John with the full experience. Telescope and guides are the same. Instead we went to a person-made crater on the other side of Lake Tekapo where they set up 4 telescopes and had a wee observatory with a 12 inch scope looking at Saturn.

No pics as no white lights were allowed. Two wee mini buses from the Dark Sky office in the village took us there. A family with a wee girl in a wheelchair also came along and I think they had a good time. The guides all handled their needs without any fuss. I think there were just over 20 of us.

The main guide was hilarious. She was a Malaysian woman and took us through the basics of the southern sky. Crux and how to find south. Then we looked through a few scopes.

First one was Ragoon Nebula. And this scope was actually a super expensive camera. It was taking (at the time I looked) a 25 min exposure and stacking the pics. You peered through the eyepiece at a photo, in essence. Looked amazing!

Second one was Jewel box. Stunning again. Third one was Saturn in the 12 inch scope. Also great viewing. As always. And the last one was on the full moon. Beautiful.

The moon meant our view of the night sky was diminished. Hardly see any of the milky way due to the brightness. But we had no clouds and no wind. And as the guide talked, Jupiter rose (quickly) above the closest hill. I will not forget that in a hurry.

Back to our wee house (after a refund sorted due to the change in experience) and off to bed. Up for check out. Greedy Cow was full. We found another place to try. It was still okay.

Then Ange was off for her long drive back to Dunedin. Thank you Ange! For the company. For driving us to Aoraki Mt Cook. For looking after us.

Celia and I paid our $8 for our car and headed up to Mt John - so we could say we'd been there. Another stunning day with views for kms.

Top of Mt John

Me in my happy place

We left there just before midday and headed to Ashburton and up SH1. Went to C1 in town after walking around to show Celia inner Chc. Tessa and Toby arrived and then we drove to Pomeroys for some cheese dip. Mmmm.

Back in Chc

C1 - looks good. But... taste was off today.

Pomeroys - never fails to work its magic

Dropped the car at their flat and Tessa took us to the airport. Regional Koru had nothing for Celia so we ate at a cafe and then waited for our flight. Small plane back into Wellington.  Arrived on time at 8pm and Celia dropped me home.

Good to see Mike. :-)  Then off to bed. Up for work at home. Celia has a wee cold so watching for any sign of that.

Best weekend! Want to go back and do it again - avoiding the full moon. Go do it if you haven't already.

Love,

Angela