Videos at bottom!

	On the way from Lake Tekapo to Mt Cook for the day. First glimpse of Lake Pukaki.	Yes the lake really is that shade of blue.			From the south end of the lake, looking north to the Mt Cook area mountains (shrouded in clouds).

			Very windy - all the seagulls on the lakeshore are head-first into the wind.	Bob & Sue, glad we'd brought warm coats

	Info about the tussocks of grass in the area	The various types of tussocks	There used to be a hotel here, not anymore.	This whole area / lake used to be a glacier	We are at the bottom of Lake Pukaki, about to head north (on the west side of the lake) to Mt Cook. We were at the map's upper right corner, Lake Tekapo.

	The brochure for this says you can "Use official replica swords...to re-enact the demise of the Witch King and stand with the King's sword in your hand atop the same rise he lead the charge of the Rhoirrim from." There's nothing actually there, no set, just the hilltop and open field they filmed at. None of the LOTR film locations have much of anything left of the actual sets. Would have been a great tourist attraction, but that's the downside of using a lot of CG animation and models. And filming on private land that the farmers want back as it was, to run their sheep on :-). Oh well. We pass on this tour.	Pretty cool that the whole country is soooo into recycling.	Lots of cool picto-grams of what you can do at Mt Cook	Bicyclists. There actually aren't a lot on the roads - the road shoulders are very narrow. Only the downtown areas in the big cities have bike lanes.	Heading up the west coast of Lake Pukaki.

			Cattle open range coming up, also means we're about to cross a cattleguard.	Approaching the snow-covered mountains.	The tops are still cloud-covered. The snow on them is a glacier.

	Lots of these signs on every blind corner	A very famous café. We stopped for lunch before going hiking.	The Visitor Centre had some great info. "Aoraki" is the Maouri native name of the mountain.	Inside the Visitor Center, a wonderful writeup on HELP or PLB's - personal locator beacons.

	They are pushing rentals of them for the serious hikers - a good thing!		Wanted - gecko sightings - of the recently discovered geckos with orange mouths!	Driving up the dirt road to hike up to Tasman Lake, which might have icebergs!	Another one-lane bridge coming up

		Very narrow bridge!	To the east, beautiful mountains. We drive up the valley towards the lake...	and towards Mt Cook too.	On the bottom left is a huge long waterfall, very narrow.

	Trying for a close-up but we're too far away.	Lots of big rocks left here by the receding glacier.	There's a huge wide valley to our right where the glacier used to be.	We're going to hike the Tasman Lake, hoping for icebergs in the lake.	Beautiful little building here with picnic tables inside.

	Don't feed the local birds	Bob & Sue as we start the hike. About half an hour later, we arrive at the lake.	Woo-Hoo! Icebergs!	Closeup of the near shore with some 'bergs right at shoreline	Right side of the lake (south side).

	The lake is very brown from all the sediment, and the icebergs are kinda black dirty too, but only on top. Still, way way cool.	Looking back down the valley to the south, hikers are barely visible on the trail.	The water is very murky and when the waves lap the shore you can see the distinct particles in the water.	Horace on an iceberg!	You can do a rafting "get up close and touch an iceberg" tour of the lake. Here some folks return from their trip.

	We just looked at these icebergs close to shore.	Lots of them!	In the sunshine, pieces were breaking off (sounded like glass breaking) and drifting into shore. Here's one.	Pretty heavy, and of course cold!	Some of the little 'bergs floating close to shore, you can see how they get worn down and then chunks break off.

	Bob picks a piece of one up	The ice is very clear and layered. Fran said it tasted a little metallic, like well water often tastes.	Huge icebergs on the other side of the lake.	Among the rocks on the shore, a few spots of moss and lichen	And pretty little flowers

	Panorama of the lake area - looking far right at the south part of the lake	Middle of the lake	Right side of the picture has the left edge of the lake, then far mountains, Mt Cook not yet visible on the left side of the picture	Mt Cook in the middle	Mt Cook is to the right

	As we hike out, yet another tour plane flies overhead. This one has skis for landing on a glacier.	Pretty wavey clouds - very short wavelength on the standing wave.	We head back down the valley to the next hiking area.	One-way bridge, we have right of way (we have the big arrow).	Next, we hike the Hooker Valley Track. This is billed as the most popular track in the Mt Cook park, so it's pretty busy with lots of people. Gorgeous tho!

	Gorgeous views!	Looking west at the still-visible Visitor's Centre, hotel complex, etc.	A side trail takes us up to the Alpine Memorial.	Sobering.	From just above the memorial, beautiful view down south to Lake Pukaki.

	Looking north east to barely-visble Mt Cook on the right.	The north and east sides of the memorial are covered with plaques commemorating other folks who've lost their lives up here.	Next short side trail is a gorgeous view of Lake Mueller.	At the bottom of the lake, a river flows out.	A little further right, the first "swingbridge" the trail crosses.

	Read about the history of this valley and the glacier movements.		Next we are going to hike down to the bridge.	Yup we're gonna cross that.	Looking at the bridge.

	It's only one person wide. A caution sign says "Maximum load 20 persons".	Sue takes this picture - I'm on the bridge! Bob is in the middle, looking down with no problems.	Looking up-river at the foaming water as it pours out of the lake.	Looking down-river. Brown water here too - very high sediment level.	After another 20-30 minutes of hiking we reach the second swing-bridge.

	Closer-up. Notice the narrow trail on the right to get there. We'll be crossing right to left.	Looking north at the river under the bridge. The bridge is kinda hard to see -- it blends in pretty well!	Looking downstream, to Lake Mueller.	The bridge with Mt Cook in the background.	Climbing around the side of the rocks to get to the bridge. This is a very narrow steep path but the hand-rail makes it fairly safe.

	Looking across the second bridge. Notice the big rocks on the right - Bob will take a couple pictures and video from standing atop there.	From the middle of the bridge, looking upstream.	Looking downstream. This water is very brown too, though the picture doesn't show it.	Proof that Sue can stand on a suspension bridge. No hands!	Bob out on the rock, doing the "Captain Morgan" pose.

	The next lake is another 2 hours hike in, each way, so we are going to turn around here and go back.	Bob's photo, from the big rock, looking at the second "swingbridge" we cross.	Sue does ok!	No hands!	Sue can even lean over!

	The bridge is a ways above the water. We think the "Vertigo" Sky Tower climb may have cured most of Sue's fear of heights.	Hiking back out.	Gorgeous mountains.	In the middle, dark against a scree field, a big plane circles low around the local Mt Cook airport.	He circles a few times and then lands.

	fun signs	Stuff to do in Twizel (we stopped for gas)	Canal coming out of Lake Pukaki. Same strange blue color of water.	South of Lake Pukaki again, Mt Cook distant in the middle	Another Glorious Vista

	Yet Another Glorious Vista	More pretty mountains	Windsock sign - high winds ahead!	Pretty clouds over the mountains. The high plains between Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki remind me a lot of North Park in Colorado - Walden area.	Coming back into Lake Tekapo, on the left (north) is Mt St Johns with the observatories on the very top.

	Even the switch-back trail (we were there!) can be seen. It's about 1000 vertical feet climb.

Videos of the second hike in the park - Hooker Valley Track. After Lake Mueller the trail crosses the river on several swing bridges. These were all taken at the second swing bridge.

0:35 Pan of the river from looking downstream, to looking upstream at the bridge.

0:38 Pan of the other side of the river. Bob is standing on a big rock just upstream of the bridge. He pans from looking straight upstream, to the rock he's standing on, cable stabilizing the bridge, shadow of the bridge, and finally downstream the beautiful suspended bridge.

0:05 Standing on the bridge, looking downstream.

0:18 More pretty views upstream of the river

0:11 and downstream

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