come visit Mt Cook ...

look at this will you - is this not a most spectacular view - how could you not be impressed with this;

yesterday we drove along this road from Twizel to Mt Cook - takes about 20 minutes by car

now just walk this way with me, we are heading into the Hooker Valley, and up to the glacial lakes

this way!

this is just absolutely amazing, I never fail to be impressed with Mother Nature, this is a zoom in of one of the lower glacial slopes, the snow there actually is pretty thick, but it amazes me how it just sits there. Occasionally (not quite this late in the year) you can hear small avalanches, but of course the way sound travels, by the time you hear it you may be lucky enough to catch the end of the slide - not at this time of year 'tho...

there are plenty of these however, and the sounds of the water rushing down the mountain side is just so wonderful,

The walk is about 11/2 hrs one way - maybe a bit less if you walk faster then the tourist pace advertised, but you definitely do not want to rush it as it is so breathtaking, and there is just so much to take in. We do this walk several times a year - you may remember that I took you up here a few weeks back to see the Mt Cook lilies -

which sadly are pretty much all spent now, and the daisy is just starting to pop it's head up

they really are quite lovely when in full display of flowers, but I just love the colour and texture of the foliage

the vegetation here is amazing, and all just blends in so beautifully, it is so hot and dry during the day, and the nights are so cold. There has been a bit of rain 'thru here of late however, so everything is looking rather green and lush, hmmm wait for the dry summer days to really hit!

at the end of the walk is Lake Hooker, not big by all accounts, and certainly at this time of the year there are not too many icebergs, in fact this was the only one that we could see easily

let me just leave you with this one last beauty...

I hope your Sunday was fun, it sure is good having these girls home! (...and yes, I did manage some stitching in the car on the way up!)