Mackenzie Country at Easter

Easter 2012 - the real thing...

Poppy to the kennels as we weren't too sure about dogs where we were headed - everyone had them and just like her!

Fantastic forecast and off Good Friday south to Waitaki bridge for coffee - they have opened out the picnic spot there and wow what a sight up that awesome river. Kurow for lunch between the 2 bridges and again beside the Waitaki in all its glory hmm no pic. On to Otematata and to Loch Laird camping grounds which have the bare minimum ie loos. Right by the water again and in amoungst fantastic autumn colours and a vodafone tower visible in the mountains...

Just because he could

 Vodafone tower between van and poplar tree...

View to where we camped - in the middle just behind the island, from top of Benmore dam. Summertime this is all packed out with boaties camping.

Beating the sun going down

Some trees had changed others getting there.

Morning mist at campsite

Morning walk and because it was such a hot day the boats poured in, above and below the dam.

Then we moved on to Omarama after lunch at Sailors Cutting and boat launching entertainment!

That was us on the left and the chap in the middle spent $500 on fuel but as he said "I haven't been into a gas station for 4 months" It made the girls at the till chortle watching the pump.

Then on to Lake Pukaki to the DOC camp site north of the bridge by the I site for Mt Cook. The day was fantastic and I am from NZ and couldn't stop saying wow right until the sun went down on Mt Cook.

Happy hour

 I walked down the unstable scree to the water and wished I had my togs on and thought about just getting in but instead I waded out to a rock and sat on it with my legs in the water!

Others also enjoying the awsomeness.

Bliss

Evening

Next morning.

We then headed to Tekapo and were to camp at the camping grounds to trial being plugged in. However it was chocka so we had lunch at the lake and watched the waterskiing etc and moved on to a river bed near Cave. We did the dump out thing at Tekapo and had another van waiting - they had owned their bus for 12 years and said to us "Have you just bought yours?" We will have to work on that newbie look...

 A typical braided river bed.  You need to know that it isn't going to rain in the hills before doing this. We were pointed out and up! It was lovely.

The next day we went to Hanging Rock to check it out for future camping but not really tho quite a nice place!

There is a picnic spot but not overlooking the river.

It does hang.

The rock hangs like this and back along in the bushes so it could look pretty neat if it was cleared.

And that was our Easter break and first real trip in Orf Piste.