^Did a small experiment with digital photo composition and some 3d. Those interested can see how I did it here.
After yesterday’s rain and severe weather warning all hope was lost to encounter good weather in the South Island, and this was really depressing me. However, when I got up this morning I could see blue patches in the sky, and the day generally seemed bright. I quickly got read and headed off to my destination down south. A few kays south of Fox Glacier I could see why the road was closed yesterday. There was a land slide and road washout, public works was still hard at work clearing it.
Further on south, the weather improved remarkably. Things got very pretty near and after Haast the road winded into the Southern Alps. The Southern Alps is a mountain range which runs along the western side of the South Island of New Zealand. It forms a natural dividing range along the entire length of the South Island.
The term “Southern Alps” generally refers to the entire range, although separate names are given to many of the smaller ranges that form part of it. (Wikipedia). According to an inventory conducted in the late 1970s, the Southern Alps contained over 3000 glaciers larger than a hectare, the largest of which – the Tasman Glacier – is 29 kilometres in length. The blue skies with scattered high while clouds, the snow capped mountains, and the green rolling hills made for a stunning and delightful riding experience. I would later recognize it as the best day of riding in the whole trip.
As I rode down south towards Queenstown, I was greeted with blue waters of Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka. A few kays before Queenstown it actually started to snow. It was magical to see light snow flakes fall down everywhere. It did get super chilly and by the time I found an opportunity to get out my camera the snow cloud had passed. It was a moment to remember…
Queenstown also has a reputation for being the ‘Adventure Capital of the World’. Queenstown and the surrounding area contains many locations used in the filming of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy as well as the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. (WikiPedia). I reached Queenstown at around 7 PM.
I lodged into the Shotover Top 10 park, a $55 NZD cabin. This was the only place where there were no plug points in the room!
With two hours of sunlight still remaining I decided to head out for Glenorchy, which was around 50 kms away. I am glad that I decided to go there; the ride was simply fantastic with very sparse traffic and magnificent views of the mountains and Lake Wakatipu. Glenorchy is a popular tourist spot, close to many tramping tracks. It lies near the borders of Mount Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park. The local scenery received worldwide attention when it was used as one of the settings in the first of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films. Vertical Limit was also filmed in the area. (WikiPedia).
I came back around 9.30 PM, it was a deeply satisfying ride day.
The cold window of my lodge in Franz Josef.
Road clearance works near Franz Josef
The road from Fox Glacier down south
Stunning scenery on the Haast Pass road
The countryside doesnt get better than this!
The sheep have the best views and dining areas!
A mountain in the Southern Alps…
Approaching Queenstown
Recording video on the way to Glenorchy
Lake Wakataipu…
Near Glenorchy..
