It really is that blue

We left Methven and the comforts of Gary's place and headed straight along the 'Inland Scenic Route' to Mount Cook. The Southern Alps rise out of nowhere. One minute you're driving through rolling hills dotted with sheep and then bingo, there are the mountains. The lakes are beautiful blue, something to do with the minerals.....
We pulled into town, pitched the tent, and headed out on a walk to Kea lookout. The sky was blue and the mountain was impressive!
One thing that quickly becomes obvious here in New Zealand is the need for good weather forecasting. It's also the first topic of conversation every day, and the first thing that complete strangers will mention to you....
At Mount Cook we timed it perfectly - the day before was gray and rainy, the day of our visit was blue and beautiful, the morning we left was gray and rainy...