Being winter, the weather wasn't always going to be sunshine, rainbows or lollipops. As a result, my last few days in Canterbury were forced to shift down a couple gears. That and the soreness finally kicked in. Absolutely knackered, I had to treat my body like the temple it is, which meant there was a lot of cruising to be had. Even if there weren't any of those picture perfect moments, you couldn't go wrong with a drive around the beautiful countryside.
I kid you not, this dog rolled up next to me like nobody's business
Night soon fell and instead of the 'flix and chill, it was going to be a night of frostbite and chill. For the past few days, the night skies were veiled with clouds thicker than a bowl of oatmeal 👉👉. Throughout the entirety of the day, I noticed the absence of said clouds and celebrated for I was finally given a chance. A chance for what, you might wonder. Why would I want to travel to New Zealand in the dead of winter without an inkling to hit the slopes. The sole purpose of this trip was to see the Southern Lights, the Aurora Australis. The battering cold nights, the brutal gusting winds... it was all for a glimpse at the mystical phenomenon.
It was a no show. WHAT?!
At no time at all did the geomagnetic forecast peep a reading anywhere near the conditions needed. I sacrificed the warmth and blooming flowers of spring for this. Despite the light's refusal to appear, I did have the pleasure of seeing the glittery stars shine bright like the dreams I once had. But like those forgotten dreams, it was short-lived. Every subsequent night constantly squashed any hopes of astrophotog, no thanks to those pesky clouds.
Enough of my sombreness. Being out in the unpolluted night sky and breathing in the freshest of air, it was always going to be a good time to gaze upon the twinkling specks of light, even if I was freezing my balls off.
For my last day in New Zealand's Canterbury region, it started off in quite an unideal way. It was the coldest morning from the trip, built up car frost was layered on thick and the air was shrouded with an even thicker fog. Be it as it may, there was no time to waste and we headed up the risky road leading to the Ohau Ski Field. As recommended by our bnb host, reaching the top would present us with a stunning view of Lake Ohau. They weren't wrong.
Driving up the non-barricaded steep road was a bit nerve-racking. With the width to just fit two cars side by side, the idea of rolling down the mountain may have crossed my mind. Adding to the list of cautionary dangers was the loose, wet gravel which often slipped out the car's tail end. And in the midst of my panic, I "accidentally" switched off my traction control... Regardless of the view, it was a fun adrenalin fuelled drive.
As the weather eased up ever so slightly, we continued our field trip with a visit to Lake Benmore. Admittedly, this visit wasn't thought through comprehensively and thus my experience was a bit lacking. Staying on the ground level, it was a nice calming scene with the undisturbed (for the most part) water and clouds rolling in for some moody elements across the mountains. If I had looked into this location further, we could've scored some very nice views along the walking tracks, especially at the peninsula.
In spite of my decision to take it easy, we more or less ended up walking that extra mile. Especially at our final destination for Canterbury, the Clay Cliffs. Found on private land, this hardened sand pit required? a NZ$5 entry fee at the (self) user operated gate.
The drive from the gate to the cliff's car park wasn't terribly long or treacherous like the ski road before. The gravel roads were nice and wide and oddly, the traction control was still off...
Drizzled with rain, the clay cliffs were slightly whittled down to a muddy state. The walking track was sludgy and the cliff faces didn't have that rock hard rigidity as its name suggests. Start to finish, the cliffs were meh. The clay structures didn't have the allure that a snow capped mountain would have. And even if the cliffs weren't behind a paywall or the weather was anything but gloom town, it still wouldn't be worth my time.
Returning to Lake Tekapo, we soaked in the sights one last time. As small as the township was, it couldn’t have been more of a fantastic place to stay. With as many beautiful places surrounding it, you wouldn’t dare to pass it up.
Unfortunately, we’ve reached the end of my time spent in New Zealand’s gorgeous Canterbury region. It’s been a fantastic start to my trip, with Mount Cook easily becoming one of the best highlights. It was just astoundingly gorgeous and I can’t wait to revisit. Thank you for reading and join me next time as I discovered the scenic sights of the Otago region.