There was a huge community "Monster Auction/Garage Sale" today to raise money for a “Cat Scan Suite” for their hospital. We had a great time looking at an interesting array of offerings, from furniture, appliances, farm equipment, dishes, and even the kitchen sink. I enjoyed the nice artwork and there were silent auction opportunities for activities. We knew we couldn't buy anything, but it was entertaining. The auctioneer mentioned The Antique...

We started the day with breakfast at the Makarora Cafe. Bob had the "Full Cooked," which consisted of eggs, bacon, sausage, fresh mushrooms, hash browns, and toast. I had a smaller version, but it was just as good.We drove back up Haast Pass a bit to take in the morning view at Cameron Flat and then to hike to the beautiful Blue Pools. The water in the Blue Pools is snowmelt and very cold, amazingly blue and so clear that you can see the bottom of the pools dis...

Last night we had a great dinner at the resort's restaurant, Rafters. Bob had lamb, which he really enjoyed. I believe we'll be enjoying lots of lamb while we are here. I had scallops and prawns, another great choice.Today we shopped for groceries and supplies, located an ATM in town, and stopped at the information center to pick up maps and postcards. We enjoyed a walk on the lake side. Our condo has all of the amenities -- a well equipped kitchen, a ...

We drove up, up, up a mountain above Lake Tekapo to see the observatory at the top. Wonderful views from up there.Then we drove through more mountains to Lake Pukaki which is another glacial blue lake situated in front of the highest mountain in NZ, Mt. Cook (named after the famous Captain). We drove to Mt Cook's Village and went to the most wonderful National Park Visitor's Center. The exhibits were all about the sport of mountain climbing.After a short ...