Day 2: From Kaikoura to Wanaka

The rain was heavy the next morning in Kaikoura, prompting more worries about the quality of our trip. Trouble sleeping had us on the road at 6am, and by late morning we passed through Christchurch on our way up into the Southern Alps. Still more rain. Finally, just as we were nearing our destination region--a triangle formed by Mt. Cook/Aoraki, Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki, and Wanaka--the sun came out. Smiles all around.

After eating lunch at Lake Tekapo and relaxing on the beach at Lake Pukaki, we decided not to head to Mt. Cook, as it was covered in clouds. So we headed to two nights in Wanaka, which will be the next post. Lakes Tekapo (the pic with the tree in it) and Pukaki (the other three pics) are noted for their turquoise waters. In fact, the glacial streams color most of the water down there this amazing blue-green color that unfortunately didn't get maximized in the pictures. But still, beautiful spots.

This is stop #2 on the map below, and remember to click on the pictures (and the map) to get them on their own page, and then click again for full resolution versions.