Small as an ant

Everything with NZ's landscape is BIG and none more so than the central mountain and lakes region.

As we drove the beautiful wild lupin lined roads we found ourselves turning a corner and getting that 'wow' moment as Lake Tekapo came into view. Its bright turquoise colour (created by the suspended glacial rock flour in the water) was like we'd switched on the super vivid setting of our camera.

Lake Tekapo and the wild lupins (13th Nov 2013)

Lake Tekapo, 27km in length was small in comparison to its neighbour Lake Pukaki; which with the towering mountains in the background felt to us even more spectacular at 47km long.
Driving the length of Pukaki we really felt its length, as the even more spectacular Mount Cook came into view.

Lake Pukaki with Mt Cook in the background (19th Nov 2013)

Walking the Hooker Valley Track under the shadow of 3754m high Mount Cook at the heat of the day made us feel like ants in such a vast and expansive landscape.

Walking the Hooker Valley to Mt Cook (19th Nov 2013)

And finally the Moeraki bolders (oversized rocks!), just sitting on the west coast beach...it was a wonder how they were so perfectly round!

The Moeraki Bolders (20th Nov 2013) 

But as two geographers...we were loving it!!!