Austrian Bed and Breakfast owner goes Scouting for new activities to do for the expected guests

Contrary to public opinion - Dunedin does have a decent amount of sunshine! Even Mamabear eventually agreed that I was right   ( a rare and treasured moment - not in being right - but Mamabear admitting as much that I was indeed rrrrrright) in reading the weather map - forecast and as such it dawned nice and clear. If somewhat cold.  I have to keep reminding myself that we are 400 km CLOSER to the south pole and practically the whole South Island does get exposed to the roaring 40's - which can mean - sunny and yet cold temps!! Ah well - better this then 6 degrees and rain!!  Next up - after the bun-fight in - oops for the shower and the usual crumbs in bed and listening to the radio for 10 minutes until the pre-paid internet usage run out - was - a quick if freezing stop over at the local St. Kilda Beach and the obligatory beach sample to take home.  We did miss out on that last time we have been there - so needed to complete this transaction.  Must go later and add to the website along with the photos and short description!!   Beaches we have been too :)   Not to mention the garlic bread blog. (  Old bear's garlic-bread-critique )
Interestingly enough it is for all practical purposes the same beach - along the same bay front - and yet it does have different grain structure from one end to the other.  Curious.   
So having blue skies - it was (yet again) a total NO-brainer and we drove up and eventually headed back inland - making a detour via the (for us) usual route - which Micky calmly remarked on "I can see why he likes it - no traffic and lots of scenery!!"
Eventually came out near the power station and at special request by the old shaken Bond gal we stopped over at Benmore Dam and yes - it was spilling some excess water.  Now this is a 300 plus meter gigantic water slide.  Actually I do hope that they are flat out and using said water for making electricity as well.  It has to be said this spilled water will get used another 3 times for making power before it reaches the Ocean.  This is shall we say a rather TAME demonstration.  If they open all four gates and open wide . . . . . . .  wohoooooooo

Imagine sliding down here.  You would have a short and most exciting thrill of your life - and then be dead. 
When all four gates are half or full open then this slide fills almost to the top of its walls - so you can imagine how this spills at the bottom!!  Thundering!!

At the top of the dam - some still water and in honour of Mr Gray from '50 shades of Gray' - I called this - '50 shades of Green'!! Wonder if this enlarges to a 90 x 90 cm print???

The whole point of this detour was to - yes you guessed it - get to a certain point - Lake Pukaki and
yes

wait for it . .

here it is . . . .

nearly there . . . . . .

B I N G O -- Mt Cook in all his glory.  Yes, it was a stunning Blue Dome Day (as Augie Auer used to say) and the 'cloud-piercer' missed his cloud to pierce! Just fabulous!!  Sooooo Mermaid - you remember - and Empress Sissi - as well as Cousin-soon-to-be-here   T H I S   is what awaits you!!  I made suitable arrangements with  Sir Blue Dome and he promised good weather for January / February

From there it is just a half jump over to the next Lake and it's famous church. Now the glass of bubbly is becoming a tradition and we would have drunk to that at Pukaki - except for still being buffet by the Frigidaire wind.  So it made sense to consume and contemplate in a location which is often a 3 degrees or so warmer - yes Lake Tekapo!  Prost!!  Mermaid / Sissi / Cousin-soon-to-be-here & Wilfried-why-ever-did-you-leave-NZ!!

The inside of the church - yet again I tried to snap a decent image and yet again I realize you need some back-lighting in order to see the interior AND the exterior.  Wonder if or better when I make a sizable donation if they will let me rig a light or two and lock the doors for half an hour . . . . .

Looking across the car-park with the door open and amazingly all tourists short term wandering away from subject - soooo naturally - snap!!
Just a teeny weeny off center for the Cross to see - ah well - next time.

From there it was another uneventful drive home.  After some 900 km I felt a wee bit drowsy and so asked mamabear if she wouldn’t mind and yes she obliged - only to spot no less then 5 police cars (some sneakily in mufti) patrolling the roads south from Tekapo.  She did drily comment it would not do for me to be driving 9ookm and *cough * not slowly and NOT get a ticket and she getting a ticket on the last 150km or so! However you be pleased to know we have a special Guardian Angel who has been protecting us from overzealous traffic-police and also providing us with a car-park wherever we are.  RIP Brother

Time to unpack and crash to bed  - then go to work so we can repeat this in January!!  Can't wait for the cuzzie to arrive

Oh and must skype soon - we may need to re-jig the travel itinerary :) 
Catch you later