In December, 1997, after returning from the ice, I had some days to spend in New Zealand, home to the Southern Alps and many more sheep than humans.
Heading to Mt Cook National Park, I immediately met a climber named Thai Verzone, and we headed out in marginal weather to climb "The Footstool", the peak at the right end of this ridge.
We had some sometimes-less-than-amusing adventures related to the weather during and after the climb...
And during the rest of my time in the park, I was mostly waiting for breaks in the weather...
I did manage to make a solo trip to Mt Annette.
Where I met a mountain parrot, the Kea,
And admired the evolving wind clouds...
I want to go back to New Zealand.