Christchurch to Lake Tekapo

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Sheryll's flight was late in from Auckland, so I spent the spare time on the observation deck up on the roof of the Airport watching the flights arrive and depart as the sun went down over the Canterbury Plains was a wonderful site. The following morning we were up early and around the corner from the Hostel to the Moko Cafe for a big bowl of Muesli, with fresh fruit and yogurt and Latte all for $10. Into Pak n Save for a few supplies and back on State Highway 1 again, heading for Tinwald just out of Ashburton, where "The Plains Vintage Railway" operate out of the Tinwald Domain. It wasn't an open day but we were able to look through windows at the Railcar and Steam Engine in the sheds. A must come back to on a day they are operating.
The trip south turns inland through the towns of Geraldine and Fairlie and then eventually climbs up Burke's Pass as it enters "The Mckenzie Country" a stop to stretch our legs with a walk through the Burke's Pass Cemetery, I had read several years ago when I was living in Christchurch of a German Motorcyclist who had toured our country and had written in his will that if he ever was killed in New Zealand he wanted to be buried in this remote and rugged mountain cemetery. Unfortunately our German motorcyclist wa killed in Auckland he lies buried today in the Burke's Pass Cemetery, a simple piece of local mountain stone and a brass plaque commemorate his life.
On the other side of the cemetery one cant help realising how dangerous the sport of Mountain Climbing is, there are several headstones that commemorate the lives of climbers who had tragically died in the mountains that surround this cemetery. Full of thought we moved on and climbed our own mountain to the top of Burke's Pass and descended down to Lake Tekapo.
It was still early afternoon so after booking into the YHA which is right on the shore of lake Tekapo, we got on our bikes and cycled into the village and then down to the "Church of the Good Shepherd" a beautiful stone church on the shore of the lake. Nearby is a bronze statue of a collie dog, a tribute by the run holders of the High Country Sheep Stations to this wonderful animal. Sheryll and I had visited Tekapo several times when we lived in Christchurch, as our dear friends Grace and Earle who were then retired and traveling around the South Island in a motor home for a couple of years, took on a temporary job on Mt Gerald Sheep Station at the head of the lake. Earle has since passed away and a couple of years ago Grace gave us a young tree that he had grown from seed collected near Mt Gerald station from a lone "Coulter Pine" (I think this is the name of the pine ) This tree has the most hugest pine cones you have ever seen. We knew where this lone tree was, as Earle had shown it to us on one of our visits. My plan was to get one of these cones to bring home. Well seems like the secret is out and a few other people know about the tree as the only cones left were about 15 metres up the tree and unfortunately my tree climbing days are over. Never mind Earle we will just have to wait for your tree to produce some cones. It's only about 1 metre tall and far from Lake Tekapo in Auckland so we may be waiting a while. We continued on up the side of the lake past Mt Gerald Station to the point where the Godley and McCauley Rivers flow into it. Just across the river is Lillybank Station. Once owned by President Bhuharto of the Philippines Island, family, but now thank goodness back in local ownership. As we left to return to Tekapo in the twilight, the Sun went down on our right and the Moon came up on our left, absolutely amazing and the trip home to the Hostel was peppered with photo stops.

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