From Aoraki we head down the valley to Lake Pukaki.

One of the larger freedom camps we’ve come across to date, we set the van up with tremendous views across the expansive lake.

The reflections off the snow capped mountains made great photos with a grand view of the sun set.

This also gives me an idea. I do a few calculations and check a few things and work out that in the wee hours of the morning the Milkyway should be splayed out horizontally above the mountains.

Now I just need to decide if I really want to interrupt my sleep to crawl out of a nice warm bed and stand in the cold….

Lake Pukaki was just one of the amazing lakes we drove past / stopped at / were amazed by.

This might sound naive but the size and amount of lakes caught me by surprise. I mean, I knew the rivers and creek systems were a lot higher flow but kinda just assumed they tumbled off the mountains and flowed into the ocean. Coming from the driest habitable continent on earth the shear amount of lakes contained by our little cousin across the ditch, and their size, blew me away.

Below is a random collection of photos of just some of the ones we stopped at for photos.

Anyhoo after the epic nightscape shoot we sleep in a little then head to Elephant Rocks.