Dunedin to Twizel

New Zealand has a good population of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Bob and I were happy to be able to worship with a congregation in Dunedin on Sunday morning, March 26, 2017.  We were warmly welcomed by many of the members and enjoyed being part of an area conference conducted held that day.  After church we began driving north on our way to Twizel.  The drive would take about 3 hours, but we made several stops along the way.  The Moeraki Boulders are such an other worldly sight!  They look like giant alien eggs or pods that were dropped on this beach and are in the process of hatching some kind of creatures from Mars!  You'll have to read the sign below to understand what these fascinating boulders really are.

 

Our next stop was at Oamaru where we hoped to see the Blue Penguin Colony.  However, the only ones we saw were in the gift shop.  It was here we were informed that the only time to observe penguins is at dusk when they return from a day at sea to rest on dry land.  That's why were were unable to see penguins while in New Zealand - our timing was always off!  However Oamaru (like all of New Zealand) is a paradise for bird watchers.  And we saw numerous birds perched on a pier in the harbor.  Bob was intrigued with the way they ran across the water before taking off in flight.

The town of Oamaru was charming and would have been a fun place to spend more time.  The Steam Punk Museum looked like it showcased some creative artistry!

We would have liked to stay in Mt. Cook Village but our selection of places to stay was quite limited.  So we opted for a motel in Twizel which is between Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo and a 30-minute drive to Mt. Cook.  We were not sure what our plans were going to be and wanted to be flexible in case of bad weather.  I really, really, really wanted to be able to heli-hike on a New Zealand glacier.  We had booked a flight to Tasman Glacier for the next morning and it would be our last opportunity to hike on a glacier.  As soon as we arrived and got settled in Twizel, we drove to Mr. Cook Village to hike the 5 km Hooker Valley Trail.  Driving along the shoreline of Lake Pukaki, we caught glimpses of it's beautiful milky blue water and the majestic glacier topped Mt. Cook.  If it have been a clear sunny day, the scenery would have been spectacular!  Honestly, the photos and videos I saw online of the lakes of New Zealand did not adequately prepare me for the incomparable beauty of the glacier fed waters!

 

The Hooker Trail Hike was another favorite, even in less than ideal weather conditions.  Seeing the iceburgs floating in the lake at the foot of the glacier reminded me of our Alaskan cruise. (See here.)  There is just something amazing about that blue ice!
  

 

Dinner in Twizel satisfied our hungry bellies and completed another active day in New Zealand.