Aspiring!

The tallest Mountain in the South Island of NZ is called Mount Aspiring first climbed as recently as 1909.

No we didn't climb the mountain.

We chose the walk through the valley floor to the Aspiring Hut giving the most magnificent views of the mountain.

All being said it was still pretty strenuous because it was a 20km round trip on very weary legs.

I forgot about the legs really, well can I be truthful and say, I parked the pain and avidly drank in some of the most beautiful views my eyes will ever see and walking on would only mean I could get drunk on more of it.

I love the names given to nature here.

Raspberry Creek, Brides Veil Stream, Shotover Saddle, Bridge to Nowhere.

It was a well formed track through the valley floor crossing sheep and cattle grazed pastoral land.

We watched a farmer herding his sheep with the help of a 4 super fit dogs, a walky-talky and a guy in a helicopter locating the widely scattered sheep across the mountains. This is the life of a modern day shepherd, so cool but such hard work none the less.

I couldn't believe how high the cattle climbed up the sheer and deathly slopes.

Just one slip and it had to be a serving of horseradish on the side!

Our concerned thoughts soon turned into reality as we passed a cow at the bottom of the face, 4 legs in the air, stiff with rigamortis. I shuddered but curiosity left me unable to take my eyes off this stricken beast, I conjured up in my mind the whole sequence that culminated in his final, undignified resting place.

Pure air, pure nature, unpolluted by the sounds of anything appertaining to modern life and majestic birds of prey swooping, hovering and calling above.

It was a blissful walk and one we enjoyed 5 uninterrupted hours of, without ever having to grunt and nod at another tourist.

On reaching the aspiring hut, my chicken Sub sandwich never tasted so good.

We both declared it to be one of those days where the threads sewn into the tapestry were made of pure gold.