Grant and Rae's NZ Trip

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After a nice (but early - clock in the bedroom was half an hour fast!!!) breakfast,we set off to do the Hooker Valley Walk. Took us 3.5 hours in total with several stops for photos,visit to Freda's Rock,the Alpine Memorial,elevenses! Some easy walking,some hard walking,2 swing bridges (I thought they'd be like the Tower of London - wrong; a lot more bouncy than that (yes that sort of swing!!). Rewarded at the destination with our first sight of a glacial lake with,like,icebergs floating in it (well small icebergs!) at the foot of the Hooker Glacier.

Another (shorter) walk this afternoon,probably the Tasman Glacier one. Yes,did that - only 1.5 hours but some rough bits.. And it is very warm (about 22c) - we really have been blessed with good weather: Francis came here and didn't see Mt Cook because of cloud! Tasman Glacial Lake is quite similar to Hooker Valley one but bigger. And there were lumps of ice resembling icebergs!

Heading for Dunedin tomorrow.

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Photos

View up Hooker Valley....
...to Aoraki Mt Cook

Hooker Valley Walk......
.....one of the "swing" bridges.

The glacial end of Hooker...
...Valley Lake with Aoraki Mt Cook in the background.

Tasman Lake walk ....
...looking back to down the valley.

Tasman Glacial Lake....
......icebergs!!

The Southern Alps from.....
...the Tasman Lake walk.