AORAKI

Whaia e koe te iti kahurangi. Ki te touhu me he maunga teitiei… Seek the treasure you value most dearly. If you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain…

Aoraki, the highest peak in Aotearoa. The heart of the Southern Alps and the heart of so many kiwis, especially on a bluebird day. Setting out from the White Horse Hill Campground, I was immediately struck by the sheer majesty of the Southern Alps surrounding me. The track to Mueller Hut was steep with rugged, snow covered terrain but nearing the summit, the sight of Aoraki/Mount Cook towering in the distance, framed by glaciers and peaks as far as the eye could see, was a moment of pure awe and wonder. A party of kea (New Zealand alpine parrots) joined me as the sun set with their antics making me fully appreciate their intelligence (thought to be similar to that of a four year old child). I waited until the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the mountains in a golden glow before I made my descent in the dark with the glory of the millions of stars shining overhead.