The third day of the Kepler is the most amazing - although the first part of the day is all uphill climb, once you get to the ridge line, the alpine crossing was awesome. We were a bit worried about the weather (possibility of rain), but it turned out to be a fantastic day.
The light drizzle resulted in a splendid rainbow that followed us around most of the day.
Caryl walking the track.
Best moment of the day (other than dinner).
We reached the first shelter and bathroom! I was very surprised they had these so high up. Brought in by helicopter.
A friendly kia kept us company while we rested.
I had read the best way to interact with them is to build pyramids out of rocks or teepees out of sticks - they are curious birds and will come over to investigate what you're doing. It took about 5 seconds for him to come over and destroy my structure - I hadn't even finished!
Back on the track, more stunning rainbows.
Following the track...
Lake Te Anau starting to appear in the distance.
The plants are a bit different up here.
And the second shelter! A rainbow leads the way to another toilet in the sky.
We had lunch here - more tortillas (because they don't get flattened) and tuna fish with mustard.
After lunch we exited the hut - to our dismay the weather had changed rapidly. No more rainbow.
But it cleared up within an hour or so.
Another view of Te Anau.
Climbing higher still, the plants change again.
We decided to do a side trip to the peak of Mt. Luxmore. Here we are at the peak - the views were... foggy.
The plants changed again - these little guys were the only living things this high up.
Life is very limited in these windy, cold climates.
Back on the proper path, you can see the peak clearing up a bit. We did not hang out at the top for very long to wait for the weather to clear.
Lake Te Anau.
Te Anau town off in the distance! Our car is parked somewhere out there...
Final steps of the day.
Me with my rain protected backpack (yes, that's a trash bag).
Luxmore hut! Last hut of the Kepler!
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