Would you like ice with that?

Please help - I have run out if adjectives for all the things we keep doing! This morning was stupendous (that's my last one so you will have to insert your own now. When I get internet I shall research some more to use later!)

Awoke to the cloud rolling down the valley which was 'insert adjective' but did make us wonder if we would see anything on out kayaking trip but off we went anyway!

We passed the little 'prove your paddling capability test' which surprised me being as we were out of the water and when the guy said 'now pretend to turn left' I had to turn to Martyn and ask him how to do that. This was very weird as when on the water you kind of do it instinctively but you do feel like a bit of a muppet waving these paddles around on dry land. Didnt feel so bad when everyone else made equivalent errors though.

So having passed but still feeling slightly nervous about abilities we loaded into the truck and went to the lake. A 15min (insert adjective) walk got us to the lake where we donned life jackets and tutus ( sorry, spray decks) and after a safety briefing that mentioned Titanic just once too often for me onto the water we went.

Our guide was Charlie Hobbs owner of the Old Mountaineers Cafe, kayaker and mountain guide. He had just got back from helping out in Christchurch and was amazed by all the huge icebergs that had been knocked down off the glacier by the earthquake. Not surprisingly I was somewhat more hesitant in my appreciation, especially when he picked one and started trying to knock bits off it to make it turn over. This is I'm sure a spectacular sight but after the safety briefing and all the instructions about what to do if an iceberg turned I was a bit busy remembering all I was supposed to do to truly appreciate the moment!

Anyway, genuinely 'insert adjective' with the icebergs peeping out from the morning mist and then blue sky and bright White ice. Saw Mt Cook from the other side and also Mt Tasman. also saw grey dirty icebergs and bright blue ones.

Tootled back to cafe and experienced lunch accident - menu was much nicer than planned crackers and hummus left overs so stuffed ourselves whilst reviewing photos with Charlie who thought some of them were so good he gave us his card so we could email them to him!

Strangely after lunch we were a bit sleepy so we sat and admired the view for a while and pondered what to do next. Decided against the planetarium and 3D movies at the posh Hermitage hotel (where we went for two glasses of water and a lemonade last night). Can't understand why in such an (insert adjective) place they would have these (although planetarium visit before stargazing last night was brill),

Thought about going for a walk in a vague attempt to work off lunch. Found a good 3-4h return which would have been pushing it but also a two hr rtn just right. Went to DOC for instructions/map but got side tracked by the old mountaineering exhibitions. Also found the memories books for all the people who have died on the mountains. These were all experienced people who did everything right. Having read about someone who died on our nice easy little two hour return we decided we had probably pushed our luck by not experiencing Titanic this morning so chickened out of the walk and just admired the view some more.

Later we tootled off to Omarama and had crackers for tea and an early night - after a nice older gentleman walked into our cabin by accident - his was right next door!