Mount Cook and the "perfect" campsite

I blame Pinterest, really.

when my friend and I were plotting our New Zealand itinerary, a moment happened. the subject of camping came up and we decided "yes let's do it!" and "we can take some of those cute photos you see on Pinterest of feet and mountain views through open tent doors!"

if you've ever followed any kind of outdoorsy/ travel/ mountain/ forest vibe board I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

so we booked our campsites near Mount Cook. after a morning hike near Lake Tekapo, we drove all afternoon towards the south. the moment we spotted Mount Cook out the window, my friend and I went into photo frenzy mode. our husbands kindly obliged us by pulling over for photo ops. several times. and the mountain loomed closer and closer.

the sun was already slanting by the time we reached Glentanner Park. we checked in and discovered that camping here meant setting up wherever you liked in a large field area near the lodge. we drove around for at least 20 minutes, trying to scope out where the best views would be.

we finally settled on a spot and got the camp set up. the light was pretty harsh, but I took a few test shots anyway, searching for that Pinterest-perfect angle. my hopes were for some gorgeous early morning light. we went to the lodge to make dinner and charge our camera batteries, then I scoped out a few spots for shooting the stars later that night.

as the sun went down, the light turned magical. I shot a few photos of the area around our campsite and waited for darkness to fall. Husband and I tried our hands at astrophotography, then turned in for the night. I was so excited for the next day - we planned to hike the stunning Hooker Valley Track.

if you've read this post about what went wrong on our New Zealand travels, you may be able to guess the end of this story. our plans were ruined by three words I hope to never hear again: gale force winds. it turns out that camping in an open field, no matter how gorgeous the view may be, results in snapped tent poles and zero sleep when the winds are rushing down off the mountain and a rainstorm is on the way.

we cut our stay short thanks to the rain and forecast for freezing temperatures [and continued winds.] I never did get my Pinterest-perfect shot, but these two phone photos taken shortly before dawn as we frantically dismantled our tent and packed up to avoid being soaked probably sum up our Mount Cook camping experience best.

I wish I had more to say about Mount Cook, but our campsite was the closest we ever got to it. someday I'd love to go back. I want to hike the Hooker Valley Track and get a better look at New Zealand's highest peak. but I think on my next visit... I'll skip the tent and just stay in one of the cabins.

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a stormy sunset on Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo, like many lakes and bodies of water in New Zealand, is known for its stunning bright aqua color. but when we first arrived to set up camp [late, thanks to our car having been broken into the night before and encountering brushfire detours along the way] we were greeted with a rainstorm.

we set up our tents while the rain came and went. and by the time we were finished, a rainbow had appeared and the light was turning golden on the nearby mountains.

it was at this point we were faced with a choice: take pictures or make dinner.

well, obviously I voted to take pictures.

the views from our campground were stunning. summer flowers were in bloom and photogenically covered in drops from our little rainstorm. the sun was reflecting off the mountains and the lake.

completely worth eating grilled cheese in the dark.

if we had more time, I would have loved to extend our camping stay at Lake Tekapo. [ok, I would have loved to extend our time anywhere in New Zealand.] but "Lake T" as we affectionately named her will always have a special place in my heart. she was our first foray into the mountains, our first camping stop, the site of our first hike, and our first and unforgettable experience of New Zealand's natural beauty.

linking up with Bonnie, Amanda, Caity, Michelle, and Marcella for travel tuesday

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camping in Milford Sound

Milford Sound is one of those places in New Zealand that many add to their bucket list itinerary, but few actually make it to. it is - in a word - remote. one road in, one road out. frequent closures due to weather. and absolutely ZERO cell service.

but we knew we had to go.

I was responsible for finding and booking our sites for the camping portions of our trip. a quick search revealed that there was only one choice for camping in the sound: the Milford Lodge. it sounded perfect. we could camp right in the sound, a 15 minute walk from the docks where our morning cruise would depart from. the website description said "pitch your tent in secluded sites hidden away in the temperate rainforest." that sounds pretty amazing, right?

since Milford Sound is so remote, they have to run off satellite internet. tent sites were only available for reservation by email and not their online booking system, and my emails kept getting bounced back with a notice they were having technical issues. after about a week of panicking that they would be fully booked and we would have no place to stay [or have to drive in from one of the camp options closer to Te Anau] it was finally resolved.

thinking about trying to make the booking now, it doesn't seem like such a big deal. but at the time I was just stressed out enough over all the planing we had been doing to make this trip happen that I had an EPIC MELTDOWN. once I was able to hear the voice of reason [aka, Husband] he reminded me that even if this campsite didn't work out there were still other options. and that we were going to New Zealand, for goodness sake. New Zealand! and of course things would not all go according to plan, but I should get over it and enjoy myself anyway because... we were going to New Zealand.

whenever I look at these pictures, I have to laugh.

"secluded sites hidden in the forest" is apparently code for "your tent site will have an 8 foot radius of space filled with trees between you and the tent sites on your left and right, the camper van hookups behind you, and the parking lot in front." but we laughed, and we got over it.

the sites were also barely big enough for our 2 person tent - one little hill of sand with a flat top surrounded by rocks and logs. but Husband pulled some ninja tent moves and gave us a secure [if unconventional] setup, and we got over that too.

it really wasn't that bad. honestly - the mound of sand kept our tent from being in a puddle the night it downpoured. and the cover from the nearby trees [and camper vans] kept the wind from breaking any more of our tent poles.

side note about camping in New Zealand: there are every level of facilities available. certain members of our group requested flushing toilets and hot showers, so we opted for the less rugged "holiday park" type locations. usually these offered tent sites and camper van hookups, but also small cabins and/or a backpacker lodge. Milford Lodge is one such place. we had access to restrooms and showers, a communal kitchen and coin laundry, a cafe that served a mean breakfast, and a lounge area with internet. we were in NO WAY "roughing it." especially considering the 2 minute walk across the parking lot to all the facilities.

was it annoying that I could hear the guy two tents over snoring? yes, but we got over it.

because when a short walk down the road leads you to this view - when you are in New Zealand and staying in Milford Freaking Sound? you get the heck over it and enjoy yourself.

until, of course, your Husband snaps this photo and takes your camera away. because he's afraid it might meld with your face and he wants to spend time grabbing a beer/cider with you. so you get over that too and go have a drink. because, obviously, New Zealand.

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