A2O day 1

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A2O day 1 Mt Cook to Twizel



Low cloud and rain forced the helicopter transfer across the Tasman river to be cancelled so we had to take a bus shuttle to the Spillway at the end of lake Pukaki to join the Alps 2 Ocean bike track. Lake Pukaki is a glacial scoured lake that has been enlarged by a dam and used to generate hydroelectric power for New Zealand.

Wally, our shuttle driver, is a retired accountant who used to prepare all the financial statements for the sheep farmers in the area and acted for several of them negotiating compensation for the loss of grassing lands resulting from the higher water levels. According to Wally, the decrease in the number of sheep from 60 to 30 million resulted from low prices for wool and meat caused to a large extent by Britain joining the EU. He will be happy to see trade grow with England post Brexit!

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Photos

Mt Cook
No helicopter today

Lunch in the rain
Undeterred we biked on

Comments

[Caroline]

Lake Punakaki
We were lucky the day we visited lake Punakaki: it was fine weather and the lake was a glorious turquoise. We also got to see the glacier at the end of the valley near the visitor center which was spectacular. Loads of love to you both. Xxxxx