AORAKI MOUNT COOK

 The wind seemed to have died down a tad so we decided to drive to Aoraki Mount Cook. We passed a campervan on its side- blown over yesterday - and a caravan sharing the same fate. The mountain was on full view - a perfect sight seeing day.  We wandered up the solidly made stairs to view the Tasman Glacier and blue lakes that are now green  (rain water fed now rather glacier fed). If you don't believe in global warming then take a look at our glaciers and how they have retreated.  Then onto the Twizel supermarket. We skipped the walk across the Mackenzie basin due to high winds and headed for the clay cliffs just outside Omarama. Closed we couldn't believe it. But then we realized how close the cliffs are to the Ohau fire and 

understood. So we decided for a hot tub and soaked in the hot pool and watched planes leaving heavily laden with fire retardant and returning empty, only to take off once again after refueling.  We are now settled happily in the camping ground and looking 

forward to some r and r. Later on in the day we wandered around Omarama - saw the impact of COVID in mothballed hotels and closed cafes. 

The wind died down in the morning and the rain set in. Fire fighters must be pleased but I was a tad disappointed as we drove through the Lindis Pass in heavy rain. By the time we got to Bendigo the skies had cleared and so we drove up to the ruins of the old gold mining towns Welshtown and Logantown. We spent a leisurely couple of hours wandering around the sight imagining what it would have been like 130 years ago.  

We also cast our special votes in Cromwell. Pretty impressed with the process, which didn't take much time and the electoral officers seemed to know what they were doing. After a couple of days having fun with family we head south tomorrow.