Aoraki Mount Cook

We left Tekapo and headed up the road to Mt Cook - the highest mountain in NZ (3500m). The scenery along the way was breathtaking particularly because of the dusting of snow.. The water of Lake Pukaki was the most brilliant blue we've ever seen, offset by the snowy mountains behind it looked amazing.

After a coffee in the Heritage hotel at Mt Cook we went back out into the snow to really take a look - it's a fantastic sight towering into the sky. The Maori's call it cloud piercer - think they could be onto something with that!

One snowball fight later it was back to the car for the drive to Oamarama where we spent the night at Buscot Station, a backpackers on a 900 acre sheep farm. It was so warm and cosy and just lovely to sit in front of the open fire and chat with the owner Tony.