tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-143725782024-03-13T16:23:44.848+13:0033. Mt. CookThe best scenery is found around here. The mountain views are really breathe taking.David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121038650917532662005-07-11T18:00:00.002+12:002009-11-12T00:54:53.197+13:00The Southern Alps, 6th December 1999<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/13.%20Southern%20Alps1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/13.%20Southern%20Alps1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> <span style="font-family: times new roman;">At the end of December 1999, I took my family for a tour of the South Island. We drove the Toyota Ceres from Christchurch to Hanmer Springs, Westport,</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> Punakaiki, </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Franz Josep glacier, </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Lake Wanaka, Mt Cook, Ashburton and back to Christchurch again. On the way to Mt. Cook we saw the Southern Alps from far away. It looked very impressive indeed. Be prepared to stop the car many times for photographs. If only I had a digital camera then! The mountain scenes were fabulous so were the wild flowers on the shores of Wanaka.<br />
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</div>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121049299160694462005-07-11T17:50:00.001+12:002009-11-12T00:58:04.080+13:00Our first glimpse of snow capped mountains<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/3%20Mt.%20Cook.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/3%20Mt.%20Cook.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: times new roman;">Around this part of the South Island, the road was flat and straight for miles. It was so easy to drive there. <br />
</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121049624966469442005-07-11T17:40:00.000+12:002009-11-12T00:13:29.204+13:00Part of the Southern Alps<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/2.Mt.%20Cook%201.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="205" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/2.Mt.%20Cook%201.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: times new roman;">If we keep stopping like this for photos, we will never get there.</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121049855580053712005-07-11T17:30:00.000+12:002009-11-12T00:17:32.843+13:00One for the family album<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/4.South%20Island%20tour%201.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/4.South%20Island%20tour%201.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> I needed a flash for my Olympus Trip 35. We wanted the mountains as a background; but the sun was in the wrong position.<br />
</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121050178486902622005-07-11T17:20:00.000+12:002009-11-12T00:02:34.371+13:00Mt. Cook YHA<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/5.YHA.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/5.YHA.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> <span style="font-family: times new roman;">We finally arrived at Mt. Cook YHA, a very luxurious back packer.We got a family room to ourselves. Pearl booked it months ahead via the internet.<br />
</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121050391625851412005-07-11T17:10:00.000+12:002009-11-12T00:23:43.030+13:00Satu batang rokok lagi<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/6%20satu%20batang%20rokok.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/6%20satu%20batang%20rokok.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> <span style="font-family: times new roman;">After a good night's sleep, the next morning we were ready to tackle the mountain on foot. I had a small day pack with plenty of drinking water and some food for a whole day's tramp to the foot of the mountain.<br />
</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121050996592156222005-07-11T17:00:00.001+12:002009-11-12T00:35:11.578+13:00Closer now<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/7.almost%20there.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/7.almost%20there.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> The majestic Mt. Cook. I felt a very strong attraction coming from the mountain, wanting to get nearer for a better view. The blue skies provided an excellent back drop for photos. We walked for hours in the cool December weather.<br />
</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121051442339728502005-07-11T16:50:00.000+12:002009-11-12T00:03:50.228+13:00The half way point<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/8.are%20we%20going%20up1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/8.are%20we%20going%20up1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Should we turn back now?<br />
</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121051836587279572005-07-11T16:40:00.001+12:002009-11-12T00:28:04.755+13:00Hooker Valley<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/9.Hooker%20Valley.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/9.Hooker%20Valley.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> <span style="font-family: times new roman;">I have been thinking. Perhaps we should continue walking for a little bit more?<br />
</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121052219695260352005-07-11T16:30:00.002+12:002009-11-12T00:59:44.536+13:00Kevin at Mt. Cook<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/91.Kevin%20at%20Mt.%20Cook.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/400/91.Kevin%20at%20Mt.%20Cook.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> At close range the mountain seem overbearing and so huge. I could actually feel the physical attraction and began to understand why people climb mountains. I grew up in Miri. near Mt. Lambir; but it was nothing like this one. It was just a dark green colour all over and never covered with snow. This mountain feels real and more friendly.<br />
</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121052432022414122005-07-11T16:20:00.000+12:002009-11-12T00:05:24.925+13:00Not far to go?<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/92.%20Mt%20Cook.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/92.%20Mt%20Cook.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> <span style="font-family: times new roman;">We need to track for at least another 3 more days to the top!<br />
</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121053718959984792005-07-11T16:10:00.001+12:002009-11-12T01:04:10.902+13:00Panoramic view<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/93.Panoramic%20view1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/400/93.Panoramic%20view.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: times new roman;">I bet Kevin feels very small standing there! This photo was taken using Kevin's camera, a Canon which has a panoramic view setting. It is great for taking pictures of mountains and wide landscapes. We were actually standing too near the mountain for a good shot.<br />
</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121053987163077322005-07-11T16:00:00.000+12:002009-11-12T00:08:25.645+13:00I give up, let's go home!<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/94.resting.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/94.resting.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a> <span style="font-family: times new roman;">I am thinking of giving up.</span>David Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13185379046787204351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14372578.post-1121054623394291902005-07-11T15:50:00.002+12:002009-11-12T01:07:02.870+13:00The best part of the tramp<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/1600/95.%20the%20best%20part.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6264/1282/320/95.%20the%20best%20part.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> I like best, the going home part! My estimate: we walked almost 15 km that day. It felt more like 50.<br />
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