Headed to Skyscape

When Gayle and I started seriously planning this trip I told her I had found a place I wanted to stay on the South Island called Skyscape. (Actually we remember this differently.  She thinks she found Skyscape and I think I found Skyscape.  We have agreed to let each other believe their own story.)  Skyscape has a king bed, kitchenette and bathroom, all inside a small house with glass on the north, east and west sides.  The ceiling is also made of glass. Plus it is in the middle of nowhere so you can look out your glass ceiling at night and enjoy the stars.  I live in Los Angeles County.  It is rare indeed when I get to see stars.  Gayle lives on a farm in Kansas.  She gets to enjoy the night sky on a regular basis.  But she knows that the stars you see in the night sky here are different than the ones you get to see in Kansas.  She loved the idea.  So we planned our trip around being at Skyscape during a new moon so we could enjoy the night sky.

Today was the day…the day we headed for Skyscape near Twizel.  My friend, Jacki, recommended that we get an early start because there would be many sights to see along the way.  We had a long day yesterday but we were up early and checked out of the hotel by 7 a.m., each with a flat white in our hands.  We stopped at the Fairlie Bakehouse for a bite to eat, which repeatedly wins the award for best pie in New Zealand.  A pie in New Zealand is savory not sweet.  I got the steak and cheese pie and Gayle got the chicken pie.  I see why they win the award.  It was magnificent.

We stopped at Three Creeks in Burke’s Pass.  It seemed like a good place to stretch our legs.  We wondered past antiques and into the quirky gift shop.  We weren’t there long before we saw that they were selling Trump 2024 and MAGA paraphenalia.  We immediately walked back to our car. 

Not long after we left Burke’s Pass we turned the corner and there was an absolutely stunning view of  Lake Tekapo.  No photo can do justice to the turquoise of the lake and the stunning view of the Southern Alps (which extend almost the full length of the South Island).  

The Church of the Good Shepherd is situated on the shore of Lake Tekapo.  The church owns significant land around the building, which means that no other buildings are situated near it.  It is one of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand.  

Our next stop was the Dark Sky Project for a guided tour.  In case the rain that is promised for Twizel ruins our ability to see the night sky from our glass house we wanted to enjoy a simulated views of what we would have missed.  As I walked inside I wanted to change from my sunglasses to my prescription glasses but my glass case was not in my purse.  I searched the car to no avail.  I must have left them at Fairlie’s Bakehouse or they fell out of the car when I got out at Burke’s Pass or the Church of the Good Shepherd.  I was undone by the loss of my glasses. I was trying to pretend like I was not ruminating about it but Gayle knew I was worrying.

I tease my sister about leaving things behind while we are traveling.  I mean, I tease her a lot.  Here I had lost my glasses on the very night I wanted to study the night sky.  Gayle suggested we head back the way we came in search of my glasses.  I was still trying to pretend it wasn’t that big of a deal. “No, I still want to go on this tour,” I said.  We headed into the darkened theater to learn about the stars in the southern sky and how to locate them.  Mind you I was wearing sunglasses.  All of a sudden Gayle said, “I don’t have my phone.”  She left the theatre and returned four minutes later with her phone in hand.  What a pair we are!

Dark Sky Project is worth the stop.  We learned about the night sky and the Maori stories regarding the stars.  I enjoyed the room with the sun and Alpha Centauri.

I was fascinated with the concept that the reflection of the stars on the water tells the eels when to migrate.  It was demonstrated to us in another room by creating a pool of water on the floor.

The truth is that I was so overwrought about my glasses that I don’t remember much from this tour. After the tour we regrouped and made a plan.  We would head back to where we had parked at the Church of the Good Shepherd to see if they fell out of the car.  If they weren’t there we would call the places where we had stopped to see if someone had turned in my glasses.  As I got into the car I saw my glasses case in the pocket of the car door.  The color of the case matches the color of the door.  What a lot of energy I wasted worrying.  But it didn’t matter because relief flooded through me.  Gayle and I headed back inside to celebrate with mango milkshakes.  The view of Lake Tekapo and the mango milkshakes helped me enjoy the moment again.

Lake Pukaki was our next stop.  Another turquoise lake with a backdrop of the Southern Alps.  Gayle found a spot to sit and enjoy the wonder of this world.  New Zealand is one beautiful experience after another. 

Just up the road is the Visitor Centre for Lake Pukaki.  Inside is a beautiful glass area where you can sit and look out towards Aoraki (named Mt. Cook by the European settlers), which was cloud covered today.  The words on the window are, “If you must bow your head, then let it be to the lofty mountain, Aoraki.”  Gayle bowed her head.

The road to Skyscape is a gravel road leading to the middle of nowhere with horses and mountains providing the scenery.

Hidden among the landscape is our home for the next two nights.

We giggled when we entered.  It is perfect…even better than I imagined.   You can pull the blinds to blockout the sun or the prying eyes of any wildlife.  We opened all of them.  There is even a blind over the bed which is controlled by a remote.  We immediately pulled that blind back also.

I sat down next to the front window and blogged as it began to rain.

Dinner was waiting for us in the refrigerator.  Two large platters of cheese, crackers, bread, salami, salmon, vegetables, fruit, pistachios, chocolates, etc., etc.  We feasted.  Our weather apps said the rain would stop before 8 p.m. but it didn’t.  We will see no stars tonight.  I might be a tad bit disappointed but it is hard to regret anything about this place.  Plus, we are staying two nights.  Hopefully tomorrow will be cloudless. When we were done blogging we turned off all the lights and that is when we realized the stars were out, even on a rainy night.  We exclaimed and giggled; took photo after photo; and wondered if the sky would be even more glorious tomorrow night.

I lay in bed for a long time looking up through the glass ceiling to the twinkly lights above.