Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Mount Cook
We were expecting to catch on on sleep on the minibus transfer to Mount Cook on 31st December but we were the only two booked on the tour and it was actually a sightseeing tour with stops and commentary. The driver, Stewart, kinly decided to give commentary if one of us was awake but not bother if we were both asleep. First stop was the World's Steepest Street which overall wasn't that steep at all, there is just one bit of it which was 1 in 2 or something like that.
Q what is the name of the World's Steepest Street.
We continued on and stoppe for morning coffee and a wander around an old town with relatively histoic buildings which were being restored, could have been Oamaru. We stopped at Elephant Rocks - big bolders and the location of some of the filming of Narnia, and then on to see old Maori carvings before reaching a view point for Mount Cook. We were in luck and although it was cloudy we could see the peak of Mount Cook in the distance.
We were disappointed when we got to the hostel that the trip to the glacier which we had tried to book previously was now full and wasn't an option so we went for a walk. It was chilly but mostly sunny and was quite pleasant. We could hear many avalanches on one of the nearby mountains but couldn't see any of them. Mount Cook was hidden in cloud.
Dave's favourite pub of his first trip to New Zealand had been at Mount Cook but where the pub had been was now a visitors centre and so we found another pub to spend New Year. It was a lucky find as we had a cheap meal, lovely pudding (more expensive than dinner), games of pool and then there was a live band playing till 2am. Just before midnight there were free glasses of champagne an the landlord being Scottish had arranged for a bagpiper an he did the ode to a haggis and we had free haggis too - nicer than we had expected. Later there were free nibbles too. The people watching was great - lots of random people on bus tours and some very drunk people. A good and fun start to 2007.
Q I had my best night yet playing pool against Dave. We played 3 games. Guess how many of my balls were left on the table in total from the three games.
The morning trip to the glacier was also full so we went for another walk before getting the Intercity to Lake Tekapo. We had a couple of shots there over looking the picturesque lake courtsey of Scott, (thanks for that one) and was then picked up by the Stray bus to continue to Christchurch.
Q what is the name of the World's Steepest Street.
We continued on and stoppe for morning coffee and a wander around an old town with relatively histoic buildings which were being restored, could have been Oamaru. We stopped at Elephant Rocks - big bolders and the location of some of the filming of Narnia, and then on to see old Maori carvings before reaching a view point for Mount Cook. We were in luck and although it was cloudy we could see the peak of Mount Cook in the distance.
We were disappointed when we got to the hostel that the trip to the glacier which we had tried to book previously was now full and wasn't an option so we went for a walk. It was chilly but mostly sunny and was quite pleasant. We could hear many avalanches on one of the nearby mountains but couldn't see any of them. Mount Cook was hidden in cloud.
Dave's favourite pub of his first trip to New Zealand had been at Mount Cook but where the pub had been was now a visitors centre and so we found another pub to spend New Year. It was a lucky find as we had a cheap meal, lovely pudding (more expensive than dinner), games of pool and then there was a live band playing till 2am. Just before midnight there were free glasses of champagne an the landlord being Scottish had arranged for a bagpiper an he did the ode to a haggis and we had free haggis too - nicer than we had expected. Later there were free nibbles too. The people watching was great - lots of random people on bus tours and some very drunk people. A good and fun start to 2007.
Q I had my best night yet playing pool against Dave. We played 3 games. Guess how many of my balls were left on the table in total from the three games.
The morning trip to the glacier was also full so we went for another walk before getting the Intercity to Lake Tekapo. We had a couple of shots there over looking the picturesque lake courtsey of Scott, (thanks for that one) and was then picked up by the Stray bus to continue to Christchurch.
# posted by D&M Travels @ 2:35 PM 
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Baldwin Street.
Named after Mike Baldwin, as they're big Coronation Street fans in New Zealand.
(I might have made some of that up)
Named after Mike Baldwin, as they're big Coronation Street fans in New Zealand.
(I might have made some of that up)
World's Steepest Street is Baldwin Street.
Probably not a good idea to try on the way home from the pub (in either direction, though one would definatly be quicker).
Pool - 2, as I reckon somebody potted the white as well as the black
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Probably not a good idea to try on the way home from the pub (in either direction, though one would definatly be quicker).
Pool - 2, as I reckon somebody potted the white as well as the black
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