Travelled over the mountains through low cloud and patchy rain.... taking the road to Mount Cook where the weather started to deteriorate further. The road there, runs for about 50km alongside Lake Pukaki which, despite the weather was still a vivid turquoise. On our previous visit in 2009 we had encountered many curious Kea, the native mountain parrot renowned for its destruction of vehicles (removal of windscreen wipers, vehicle trim and anything not secured well to the vehicle!). Despite attempts to locate them we are sad to say we didn't see a single one! There is much controversy here over "1080" poison which is being used to eradicate the non native mammals (possom, stoat, weasels), with suggestion it is wiping out native wildlife and particularly birds too? It is a tough debate as birds are suffering
... read more