Highlight of the day:
1. the fascinating Punakaiki pancake rock
2. the beautiful Lake Matheson at Fox Glacier
It was a day with the longest road trip. We traveled from Hanmer Spring to Punakaiki to see the pancake rock. The thin horizontal layers of limestone rocks formed over millions of years, have formed what look like stacks of pancakes. There were also blowholes to be seen with the sea spraying through the eroded gaps. But make sure you are there at high tide. We did but at the month of visit the waves were not at theirs strongest.
After that, we drove to Fox Glacier. Of course there were towns and amazing look-out points along the way. We reached Fox Glacier quite late and have to rush to Lake Matheson, also called Lake Mirror because of the reflection of Mt Cook in the water. We stayed at the lake until 9pm+, trying to capture the perfect photograph of snow-capped Mount Cook reflected in the dark waters. By the time we left, we could not even see the track.
one of the many stops
the first rainbow we saw in New Zealand
taking a break
another break
Punakaiki pancake rocks
captured two young guys jumping into the lake
the best shot we have for lake matheson
The next day, we would be taking a helicopter to the glacier. Excited!