Sunday 18th March 2007. Christchurch to Mount Cook. New Zealand.

Mount Cook is Australasia's highest mountain and it is located in the Southern Alps which are New Zealand's largest mountain range.

This morning our bus journey takes us through South Canterbury to Geraldine where I enjoy fresh cheese from Talbot Forest Cheese Store. These small dairy factories were once common place across New Zealand, but today the independents are few and far between as the multi-nationals now dominate this once staple rural industry.

Our next stop is Lake Tekapo from where we pass the Tasman Glacier enroute to Mt Cook Village. Sir Edmund Hillary used Mt Cook as a preparation base as he worked towards his assault on Mt Everest.

So here I am on the eastern side of the Southern Alps and this is where I become aware of the striking difference between the geology of the North Island (essentially volcanic) and the South Island (essentially created by the actions of tectonic plates).

Outside the Hermitage Hotel, where Alex and I have lunch, stands a statue to Sir Edmund who along with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made the first successful ascent of Mt Everest on May 29th 1953. The statue was commissioned by The Hermitage to mark both the 50th anniversary of that ascent and the influence Aoraki (Mt Cook) National Park had on Hillary's early climbing experience. The statue also recognises his work in providing schools and medical facilities for the Sherpa people of Nepal and his contribution to the protection of the culture and beauty of the Himalaya.

We are staying here at the Aoraki/Mt Cook Alpine Resort and after lunch Jill, Alex and I head off to hike Governor's Bush.

Dinner tonight was at The Old Mountaineers before a game of Trivial Pursuit in the lodge lounge.