Silence is golden, but my eyes still see....

Today’s POETS day...Push off early, tomorrows Saturday.
Firstly, a change of plan for our camp site from yesterdays blog. Instead of our original itinerary (yes we do have one; its a bit rough but flexibility maintains the excitement, or puts M’s blood pressure up depending on how she is feeling!), we are at a campsite 5 km from Mt Cook Village and the famous Hermitage hotel, and yet we haven’t seen a soul until 5 minutes ago.
The weather is again very hot with cloudless blue skies and there is so little wind that everything is quiet. There are no cicadas as we are over 2000ft above sea level and very much out of the rainforest area, being in the rain shadow of the Southern Alps. OK, I know its below the belt but I couldn’t help getting in the dig about the weather! Blame Gill and Malcolm. It was them who said “it never snows in Dorset!”
The lake in front of where we are sitting is pale blue with suspended, powdered rock. Those who remember Blue Water before it was a shopping centre or the lake at Holborough near Cuxton , in Kent will know the colour. These lakes derived their colour from suspended cement residues. The same thing really, but the lakes around here are not the making of man, but natures awesome work. Glacial erosion done over millions of years produced these beauties, and continue to do so.
We couldn’t have picked a better day to see Mt Cook, although the NZ $350 each opportunity to experience a landing on snow was a bit much when we can do it at home when slipping on your posterior whilst walking Simba. Seriously, a helicopter landing on snow on this mountain range is what I am talking about. Yes, the thrill of that high a mountain view is going to be special, but 700 dollars buys a lot of fuel to travel around with, and is hardly Eco-Tourism. My black carbon footprint is big enough already!
We passed through a town called Twizel – pronounced twy-zel to pick up essential supplies as everything owned by the Hermitage group who own practically everything in MT Cook Village, costs much more than in town. Sort of a captive market, and making the most out of the tourism trade, I suppose.
We noted the town petrol prices are now much higher as well. But we wouldn’t have missed the views which are stunning.
We have booked a walk and boat trip on a glacial lake tomorrow. We are expecting to see icebergs and the edge of the glacier. M really wanted to stand on a glacier, but we have reluctantly decided to give Franz Joseph Glacier and Fox Glacier (yes it really is called this and was used as the advert for a certain company’s mints) a miss as the drive up the west coast was too much out of our way. We will have to do it next time we come!
Regarding the advert, there aren’t any foxes in NZ, so the advertising men were trying to brainwash us yet again. But, could you imagine them being called Possum’s Glacier Mints. They wouldn’t have sold any as possums are regarded a vermin with a capital V!
Yesterday, we went to The Church of the Good Shepherd which has a plain set of windows behind the altar. The thing is this stone church has the most magnificent view over Lake Tekapo, and it can be seen by the congregation during the service. There are some pretty grand stained glass windows which attempt to tell of God’s glory but once again man made is definitely second best to this view. And, it changes with the time of day, and the weather. Maybe it doesn’t look too much during an evening service, in the winter.
This tiny church is very much on the tourist map as a succession of coaches pulled up to off load their cargo to get the obligatory photograph. The church only seats 40 people at the most and is shared by the Anglican, Presbyterian and Catholic churches in the area. We picked up a musical souvenir from the organist which we will run past John and the music group when we get home.
Well, I don’t know about you M, but I’m sure I heard the cups rattling. Maybe it’s time for a cup of tea. Philias says “I’m not fussed about tea, I want my dinner. That picnic yesterday seems a long time ago!”