On our way to Aoraki/Mount Cook

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It's not a great night sleep - perhaps too warm from the heaters we left on to dry our clothes - and traffic noise ensures we don't sleep too late. Our clothes aren't totally dry and we head to the laundry. Over breakfast it starts pouring and it doesn't stop not even when we visit nearby Arrowtown.
Arrowtown is a pioneer village built in the 1860s after gold was found in Arrow River. The town retains almost 60 of the original wooden and stone buildings with pretty treelined streets. It's a nice little town even in the rain.

Next stop was the historic Kawarau Bridge. This is the site of the world's first commercial bungy jumping operation. The bridge is 43m above the Kawarau River and jumpers can have a splashdown in the river if they need cooling off! We stop for a look believing that we will not see anyone jumping due to the rain. However we are lucky and end up watching someone take a leap of faith. Neither of us have any vague desire to follow.

Omarama was a pit stop for us and we decide we'll stop here for lunch too. It's just a small place but has a nice vibe to it. (By the way, it's still raining!) The first cafe we went into had just been inundated with a bus load of tourists so cross the street to the other cafe. This was nice, quiet and the shop attendant very friendly. We fill up with petrol to make sure we have enough to get to Mt Cook Village and back out again. (Petrol is very hard to get in Mount Cook Village and if you don't have cash or a Credit Card with PIN access...then you'd pretty much luck out.)

We turn up the road to Mount Cook, also known by its' Maori name - Aoraki (cloud piercer). Road traffic condition signs say road is open *phew* but to be careful of very strong winds. Not kidding in places, it's a bit of a stuggle at times to stay on the left side of the road. It's still raining and the cloud is very low and thick and we can't see Lake Pukaki or the mountains - yet we should according to the tourist brochures and guide book. Visibility is probably down to about 1km...if that. At last we get to Mount Cook Village and get to the Hermitage Hotel to check in.

The Hermitage is well known and marketed as a luxury style hotel. Rooms with views of Mount Cook start at $500NZ!! We are staying in the less expensive Motel Room which is some distance from the main building. Our room, is more like a studio unit with our own entrance, a small but reasonable kitchen, couch and deck with bench seat. If it ever stops raining we might just use it!

It's really foul weather out so we stay inside and rest for several hours. Miraculously at about 8.00pm the rain stops and the skies clear of most cloud to reveal Mount Cook and surrounding mountains. We hop in the car and drive to various vantage points for photos of the sun setting on Mount Cook. The colour was spectacular.

We're hopeful that this break in the weather is indicative of what's in store for us tomorrow. We're wanting to do a couple of walks and a tour but more about that in tomorrows' blog.

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Photos

Arrowtown
A view looking down Arrowtown's main street showing some of the historic buildings.

Bungy!
Could you step off the platform?

Aoraki/Mount Cook
The sun setting on Mount Cook.