As the bus pulled out of Christchurch, I looked sorrowfully at the thick clouds covering the Southern Alps (aka the Misty Mountains). I was on my way to Lake Tekapo, where I hoped to do 3 things: admire the lake's fabled turquoise waters, visit the Church of the Good Shepherd and go stargazing at the Mount John Observatory. There was a smattering of rain just before we pulled into the village, but it didn't seem to make any difference to the cloud cover. I decided to go into the Earth and Sky office anyway to ask whether there was any chance of a night tour.
"Let me show you why these clouds are a good thing!" said Christian, beckoning me around the counter to the computer showing the latest weather forecast. According to the weather model, the high clouds would disappear by 4pm: “if you believe in the model, that is” he added. Sure enough, just before 3pm, there was a patch of blue sky - and by late afternoon I was slapping on the suncream and taking countless photos of the lake. Its gorgeous milky turquoise colour is due to rock particles (or "rock flour") in the water from the glaciers.
The beautiful little stone Church of the Good Shepherd stands by the lakeshore - built as a memorial to the pioneers of the MacKenzie Country. Behind the altar there is simply a huge clear window with a stunning view of the lake and the surrounding mountains. Everyone passing through Tekapo stops here for a few minutes, so I went back in the early evening to photograph it without the crowds or coaches parked outside.
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