Glacier Hike

Trip Start Jan 12, 2008
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Trip End May 10, 2008


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Flag of New Zealand  ,
Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Sunday:  We've been prayin' for sunlight, but wake up to the rain again.  We cross our fingers things will clear up because we've scheduled a 5 hour glacier hike for the afternoon in Franz Josef.  Luckily, after an hour of driving the sun decides to work it's way out.  Yay!  The 3 hour drive down to Franz Joseph all along the west coast is stunning.   Everything is very rainforest/jungle-like.  The mountains are just THICK with trees and vegetation.  

The Franz Joseph glacier is ...well, let's skip my description and make this easier.  ahem--just going to take it straight from the brochure:

"From its origins high in the Southern Alps, the Franz Josef Glacier descends deep into the lush rainforest of Westland National Park.  This offers novice visitors the opportunity to explore the most spectacular glacier environment anywhere in the world".  And there you have it.  We were guided by professionals up steep rocks down cliffsides, through the river (and into the woods, to grandma's house we go...)  and up steep ice stairs.  It was something I will never forget, standing on the massive ice that carved the valley we stood in.  It was breathtaking and powerful.  I could try to use all these descriptive words to tell you what the waterfalls were like, what it was like tramping through the river or down steep ravines guided by rope, but really it's just one of those experiences you can't justify with words.  So I'll leave you with the pictures and your imagination...

That night we got the very last hostel room in town, an awesome new cabin with 3 bunk beds and it's own bathroom.  We stayed with 3 kiwi middle-aged biker men.  They totally reminded me of the movie Wild Hogs.  You don't find many older people staying in hostels (obviously because they can afford the luxury of a hotel) but you could tell these guys were out to have a good time and to "relive those younger days" A little japanese girl that was traveling on her own shared the room with us as well. 

Still to come:  Wanaka and Queenstown.... At the Top
At the Top
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