We had the choice of two hikes today – one up to Mueller Hut and one through the Hooker Valley.  Colin and I both decided to hike up to Mueller Hut.  It was a bit over 2hrs up to the ridge (only Jaime and our guide Ben went all the way too the hut – the rest of us stopped at the ridge 30min earlier).  The first half of the track was going up steps for an hour… yuck.
About half way up, we stopped for some lunch and we had just reached the snow line.  We had a few snow balls thrown and someone in our group threw a massive snow block at Russell – but I can’t image anyone from our group doing that…

Then the second half up was walking up a mountain in snow.  I can’t remember that last time I have walked in snow that deep!  It was beautiful.  We made it to the top and took some photos.

and we saw some snow avalanches across the valley….

Then came the way down.  It was much easier to make a new path on the way down because the snow was fresh and untouched (unlike the path going up which was trampled down and slippery).  So we went off the beaten track and made our own way down.  I must admit – since i haven’t been in snow in a long time – i wasn’t too sure how to walk in it.  I have never slid down on my bottom so much in my life.  Nor have i had that much fun in awhile.  I just kept walking on slippery grass and i’d just fall down and slide for meters and meters.  I think the people in front of me almost had as much fun laughing at me as i did sliding.  Too bad nobody had their video cameras out!
So this was it… our last night on our tour.  We had an authentic kiwi bbq dinner with pavlova for dessert.  Then it was all reminiscing around the table as we all shared favorite moments from our trip.  It was a bitter sweet evening as many us had to leave – but then excited to have met and had these experiences.  But we did have one more half day tomorrow…

by Colin and Andre’a Feldhaus

It was so chilly outside and we even had frost on our bicycle seats!  We definitely warmed up after our ride though.  Our final destination was to be Braemar Station – as sheep shearing farm on the edge of lake Pukaki.  It’s about an hour outside Mt. Cook Village… so needless to say, it was going to be a long driving day.  We stopped in Queenstown again for some lunch and a few of us tried out Ferg Burger.  YUM, but i would advice you to split a burger – they’re HUGE!  Next, it was time to face my fears.  We had planned from the beginning of the trip to go bungy jumping as a group at the Kawarau Bridge (43m).  Of course, this bridge is nothing compared to the Nevis bungy jump that Wayne and Ben did in Queenstown.  That one is 134m high and Colin wants to do that one later.  I had decided i really wanted to give this thing a try so I went tandem with Colin (that way if i chickened out – Colin would jump which would make me fall as well!).  So here are some pictures of proof that, YES, I did bungy jump.

Russell ready to go.

Jamie

Stan

Then it was back in Frank for some more driving.  But before we got to Braemar, we had one more stop at a Salmon farm.  We each got to feed the fish and then our guides bought fresh salmon for dinner!

And thanks to Crispy for bringing the makings for S’mores (since they don’t have any of them here)!  So we had a delicious dessert.

And this is the view from Braemar Station that night….

By Colin and Andre’a Feldhaus