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Published: August 8th 2007
the glacier
just think how many frappichinos starbucks could make with all that ice.Our last blog ended with us in Queenstown, the next palce we were heading to was Franz Josef. As this was a long drive we had a stop off for a night at a town called Wanaka. Not alot to say about that except it had a nice pretty lake. Then onto the little town of Franz Josef which is only really there to provided access to the Frans Josef glacier just down the road, while here we both decided to do a hike up the face of the glacier. This hike has to be done with an experianced guide, they also provided us with all the equipment that we would need to complete our hike. The Hike would take half a day and would only reach 250 meters up the 12 kilometer glacier. All kitted out with thick socks, big boots, rain jacket, 3 layers of clothes and a small bag to carry the crampons were were off to start the walk accross the Valley floor that took around 45 minutes. When we arrived at the bottom of the glacier we were all shown how to put on our crampons (these are the spikes that attach to your boots and
Danger Danger
Extreme Danger huh, we laugh in the face of danger, then quitely hide behind its back. Danger Danger
Extreme Danger huh, we laugh in the face of danger, then quitely hide behind its back.help you walk on the ice) and put into 2 groups.
(dave now)The walk up the the glacier was pretty hard going. The day before one of the guides had come to the glacier and carved a staircase path into the face of glacier for us to walk up, but the steps had at least a 12 inch riser on them and even with my long legs i was finding it tough, so i know El was finding it doubly hard with her little legs. For the whole first 45 minutes your walking up these staircases, well walking up a normal staircase for 45 minutes would be tiring enough on its own, but now takinto account the extra large steps, the fact your carrying more weight in the clothing you've got to wear and then factor in that the stairs are made of ice and that the only thing keeping you from falling down is how hard you stamp your crampon in to the ice. pretty scary, i only slipped a couple of times but never fell over (would have topped Coppenhagen for
the view from on the glacier
best warning of the day, "don't eat the yellow ice." "davey falling over" if i had tho.) once we had climbed high enough there was a sort
the view from on the glacier
best warning of the day, "don't eat the yellow ice."of little plato that we climbed around over and through. I climbed through the ice hole (pictured) or squeezed through is probably a better way of putting it. After about 30 at the plato it was time for the walk down, The most scary thing i've done on this trip, going up slippers ice steps is one thing but going back down is something completely different. I Absolutly hatted this bit and was constantly scarered i was gonna fall off the side of the glacier, i even came up with a plan in my head that if i began to fall i would grab at people and try and aim my fall at the rest of them to try and take everybody with me, but i made it back down o.k and "lived to tell the tale" (ding ding ding ding what do i win?)
(El again)Well for me this was all a little to difficult so a short way up I had to decide to all
El on the Frans Josef Glacier
This is as far as I managed to get so a girl from the group took a pic of me to prove I had at least tried! it a day and head back down with another group, going down was also quite tricky and I fell on my buttocks once and got a cold bum! Once back on the
El on the Frans Josef Glacier
This is as far as I managed to get so a girl from the group took a pic of me to prove I had at least tried!walley floor and accross the more dangerours parts, the guy said I could make my own way back and the get a life by someone back to town. So I took this offer up and it was so nice to have that extra time all by myself to admire the natural beauty surrounding the valley and looking up at the glacier of course it also ment more picture time for me that I wouldnt of had with the group!
Next stop Greymouth,
we didn't know much about Greymouth apart from the fact that you could make stuff around the area, from jewelery making to knife making so we decided to have a go at a couple of them. we decided that we would make our own Jade pendants, as nice souvenirs of our time in
ice hole
could make a joke about polar bears peguins and getting kicked in the ice hole but i won't. this simply was a hole in the ice new zealand, and then the next day we would make our own knives, just because it sounded like such a cool thing to do.
Jade Making - Hokitika
The day started with a rough design of what i wanted to make and a slab of new zealand greenstone. We began by transfering our designs from the paper on to the stone and then
ice hole
could make a joke about polar bears peguins and getting kicked in the ice hole but i won't. this simply was a hole in the iceroughly cutting it out on a circular saw bench, we then took our rough peices of stone over to disc grinder and began to shape our pendants, just trying to grind down to the line we had drawn. Our teacher then came and helped us by starting off the twist we were putting into our designs, we were then left to shape some more this time putting all the curves we wanted and smoothing down the surfaces. after a couple of hours of this we had ground out the basic shape with the curved bottom and twisting arms coming up from it to form an inffinity loop, it was
Glacial waterfall
From the Valley Floor. now time to sepperate the two arms of the twisted loop from each other, it's this part that makes it look so cool. once the two are seperated the very hard part of shaping the inside of the loop begins before you can finally finish it. finishing it complete takes about another hour as well with plenty of sanding and buffing going on with various grades of sand paper and a buffing machine. At the end of the day you tie your pendants up with some string and make it into
Glacial waterfall
From the Valley Floor.a necklace. It was such a cool day doing this it felt like being back at work for the day but because we had choosen to be there it was enjoyable.
Knife Making - Barrytown
Before i even start this is one of the coolest things i have ever done, it was so much fun to do and what you go away with is amazing. you start the day at this couples little farm in the middle of nowhere with a few pieces of scrap metal and wood and by the end of it you go away with a shinny smooth sharp as
Jade Works of Art!
I designed and made the one on the right, El nicked my design and made the one on the left. it's a pure accident that when they meet you get a heart shape honestly !!!! hell knife. you begin by forging your blade in the fernace and then bashing it in to shape with a hammer over at the Anvil, when you have it in a shape resembaling someting like a blade you plunge it in to water to cool it quickly (this adds strength to the blade) you then cut out the shape of the end of the handle and begin to shape th eblade a little better on a grinder. once you have a shape your happy with it's time to begin making the handle, by cutting the rough
Jade Works of Art!
I designed and made the one on the right, El nicked my design and made the one on the left. it's a pure accident that when they meet you get a heart shape honestly !!!!shape out of a wooden board and then sticking it to the blade and sanding it all smooth. in frount of the wooden part but before the blade a piece of brass is attached, it starts off much bigger than the rest of teh knife but brass is so soft you can just sand it away. After lunch it was time to start sharpening and polishing
Our new Pendants...
After a long hard days work here we have it our Jade matching pendants! the blade of the knife, you start by giving the blade some rough sanding on a belt sander to try and make the blade level all the way down, then you have to move on to polishing it by hand using different grades of wet and dry paper, this took about 45 before i had my blade looking like a mirror. the last stage was just to give the handle a wax and the blade a polish with metal polish. When you finish work on your knife you get to wind down with the couple running the workshop by sampling there home made "white lightning" moonshine. At first i was a bit wary of it but it tasted pretty good and by the third glass i was pretty wasted, good job i had El
Our new Pendants...
After a long hard days work here we have it our Jade matching pendants!to drive me home. only thing was that in this drunken state i managed to drop El's knife denting her perfectly formed handle. (She was not happy to say the least)
Our Final stop on the South Island was the town of Nelson, now we only had one night
The Big Swing!
This is the most thrilling, thing I have done in New Zealand so far! It was at the Knife makeing place, and you sit on the swing and the other pull you high up using a big rope then release and ahhhhhhh! here and after a long drive didnt get the chance to see much of the area, although its ment to have some nice beaches around the area. Next morning we were up and off to Picton to get the ferry accross to The North Island and the City of Wellington.
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Claude
non-member comment
Wahoo
I am really impressed and envious of your variou activities. First the Glacier I love watching them, not walking on them and I think you are both courageous to have tried it. Wonderful memories you are storing for the cold rainy winter English days! Keep doing the most of it. I particularly like the look of your knives and your dscriptions really show how much hardwork there is in all these man made objects.... the best for me. Keep writing. You give me food for thoughts and I amight pick your brain for a short tour of New Zealand. What is Pancake Rocks? Where is it/ Looks reallyunusall