The South Island of New Zealand

A day hike above lake Tekapo.

Looking down the trail out into Lake Tekapo.

The road has been lined with these purple and pink flowers.

We are having a great time on the beautiful South Island of New Zealand. After picking up our camper van in Christchurch we headed south to the amazing sapphire colored lake Tekapo. A glacial lake nestled in the foothills of the mountains of the Mackenzie valley. The color is a product of glacial silt that is suspended in the water and reflects the sunlight at this stunning hue. The Mackenzie valley is a wide open expanse of scrub bush, lakes and streams surrounded by rocky mountains, some snow-capped, others with fog rolling over the tops. After a disappointing experience in Australia, the spectacular scenery and relaxing pace of NZ is a great change for us. We purchased a fishing license and some additional lures and headed out to one of the canals along the lake and tried to catch our dinner. NZ is famed for it's abundant trout and salmon and the relative ease at landing one. No luck, but the beauty and quiet solitude of our fishing spot was just what we needed after a busy travel day. The blue sky, warm air and the allure of the lake made our second day in NZ a memorable one.