New Zealand: Quakes, Lakes and Mt. Cook Hikes

New Zealand - isolated, wild and ridiculously beautiful. Mountain passes, coastal highways and river roads galore - there really is only one way to explore the highlights of this wonderful country - a rolling home it is!

We picked up this little beast from Pod Rentals - a Kiwi family ran business based in Auckland - but with branches nationwide. Somehow, we managed to score one of their relocation deals - which meant we had wheels and a bed for $35 a day...a result, given most other intrepid campers dropped yearly wages on their vans.

So what does she offer? A double bed, two poke cockpit seats - big enough for most toddlers at a push, a small cooker out back, a make shift toilet to adhere to NZ regulation and next to zero storage space. But - if anything this is what made our trip. The excitement of living out of our comfort zone and in limited space - we soon fell in love with our little pod.

Where it all started:

We were introduced to the 230,000 mile vet in her garage in the rear end of Christchurch. We stalled in Christchurch for a few days - the tremors of recent earthquakes linger in these parts. Buildings are still held together with scaffolding and rubble punctuates most streets. Where houses were, now an eerie silence to what used to be a buzzing town. However, what it lacks in ambience - Christchurch makes up for with warm hearted people, modern architecture and some simply outstanding coffee joints. Every street corner is propped up by another rustic coffee roaster or cafe serving up the nations favorite flat white. Community is the heartbeat of this city. Stay a while and you will grow to love it.

Making way for the wilderness:

Leaving Christchurch in our wing mirror, we headed south for Lake Tekapo. As we drove south, we made a slight detour for Akaroa. A beautiful seaside town, brimming with French heritage. As you drive in, you are spoilt by the highland views, which carry over the sea and onto the horizon. The pace of life is slow here. Tourist vessels head for wildlife viewing whilst cafes and ice cream parlors cater for the hikers. This is a must visit if you are in this kneck of the woods.

From here, it was a short hop further south to the main actor - Tekapo. We sliced the journey in two with a quick dip into the famous ‘Farlie pie shop’ for a little chicken number - before rolling through more fields of lamb. As we skated through, the little lambs jump away from the fence and birds scatter from the central line. Nature is well and truly alive and kicking!

Before long - the centre piece came into view. A gorgeous turquoise mill pond lay at the base of towering mountains. Pebble beaches lapped up the rippling waves whilst trout swam the clear waters. Fern trees populate the hillsides creating the most magical environment to camp. As we got closer, the water colour became more and more ridiculous, contrasted against the luscious green snow capped mountains, which stood behind.

Hiking, water sports and biking are all a thing of ease here. Pick your hill and set off - nothing could be easier.

We headed for the Astro Cafe, a small hike to the top of the hill overlooking the lake. If this is a typical NZ cafe, with mesmerizing 360 degree views, you soon realize why New Zealand attracts so many coffee lovers. On our return, a quick dip in the hot pools provided the showers, before we took the little pod to the beach for the night. With the windows set to sunrise, we let the heads hit the hay in what has to be one of the greatest camping spots in the Southern Hemisphere.

Heading for Mt. Cook:

Having fully enjoyed the beauty of Lake Tekapo - we reluctantly packed up the pod and headed for Mt. Cook. Standing proudly as New Zealand tallest mountain, Mt. Cook attracts visitors all year round for its outstanding Heli skiing as well as some of the worlds most intense and challenging rock climbing. Suffice to say our budget is akin to a relegated Scunthorpe United and neither of us brought our crampons with us - so instead we headed for the 3 hour Hooker Valley Trek - suitable for all abilities and fitness levels!

The drive there took us past Lake Pukaki - which took the turquoise scale off the richter. With Mt Cook at its end, the eye struggled at times to comprehend the colour it was emitting. The road twists and turns along the undulating terrain providing awesome views on every changing angle. Numerous lookout points guilt trip you into delaying your journey - our favourite the one which offered you a trip to the beach - getting you even closer to this geographical jewel.

At the head of the lake - welcome to Mt Cook village - a quaint place with an alpine feel to it. We refuelled with a Flat White in the Alpine bar before heading to the starting point of the Hooker Valley. As you meander alongside the river, swinging across it over suspension bridges, the glacial features become more apparent with every step. Boulders from glacial activity block your path whilst debris and trees interrupt your step. After an hour and a half - you reach the pinnacle - the Glacial Lagoon, full of iceberg carvings from the glacial end. Soak it in here. Having made it to the end of the first part of the hike - you can’t help but be reminded of our impact to the planet. The ice is melting in the midday sun and the glacier is retreating by the day.

The return is the same path - but the view is somehow so different when you look at it in reverse!

This beautiful paradise will leave you wanting to come back. There are too many trails to walk, to many types of weather to capture the lakes and too many cafes to taste the coffees.

Not a bad place to start one of the world’s greatest road trips!