Lower levels:
Tasman experience

Navigation:

With Queenstown and a ticket for speeding behind us, we head North towards Christchurch again. Our route takes us up through the central mountains of the South Island and one place in particular we single out for a visit - Mount Cook.  This great peak (the highest in NZ) rises dramatically from a vibrant turquoise lake fed by the Tasman Glacier which crowns its summit. The colours are intense and surreal.

The town of Mount Cook is small and must rate as one of the most nepotistic n the planet - all of the accomodation, and most of the workers are owned by the Hermitage group - a family run business.

We rock up to the front desk of the Hermitage hotel and ask for some budget accomodation - unfortunately all of the motel rooms are booked but we'r e offered a chalet for a couple of hundred dollars , our best choice given that only the top rooms are left - and they weigh in at five hundred or so a night. But, as the clerk books the chalet, the system fails and we miss out on our promised option. To compensate, we are offered the Executive suite for the same price as the ill fated chalet! "umm... Ok."

It turns out that the Hermitage is World famous (and has won awards) - we browse a visitors book and stumble on the Govenor of the Bank of England and his wifes entry - dated 1970 - along with the names of the then govenors of New Zealands banks. We have a suite akin to theirs on the top floor with uninterrupted views of the spectacular snow capped mountain!

Lucky? Not half - but get this, the day we arrive is the first day for three weeks that the weather has been clear enough to get a proper view of the mountain.  The Maori gods are looking after us at last - our prayers for fine weather dramatically answered..

Navigation: