It's a cold morning at Fox Glacier

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After a hearty breakfast at Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat, Robert drives us to Fox Glacier for another walk. This time, he doesn’t have to remind Alan to stay behind the ropes. It’s too cold for any mishaps.

Fox Glacier is much steeper than Franz Joseph. The ice takes a sharp dogleg to the right making it hard to see the upper reaches of the glacier, especially on a cloudy day.

I’m not sure if it’s the v-shaped valley or the low clouds, but we really feel the cold. The easy hike is along a low ridge that hugs the riverbed and ends right at the glacier. By the time we finish taking photos our hands are red and cold so Alan and I rush back to the car to warm up.

Next, we travel to Lake Matheson for a walk through more rainforest to viewpoints on the lake. Due to clouds obscuring the white mountain tops, we don’t capture the signature shot of snow-capped mountains reflected in the lake’s deep blue waters.

Rather than walking the entire trail, we opt to go back to Matheson Café where the lamb curry and flat whites come with a view.

We’ve been doing well to avoid jet lag but this afternoon, our busy travels take their toll. So, we ask Robert to take us back to Franz Josef. After our two-hour nap, we’re refreshed and ready to meet the new guests who’ve come for the night.

An international clientele accompanies the wine and cheese that’s served in the lounge. We chat with couples from Holland, Switzerland, Canada and Britain. After a dinner that includes a delicious prawn salad, we return to the lounge for coffee, tea, sweets and more conversation.

To read more about baby boomer travel, visit My Itchy Travel Feet .

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Comments

[carrie]

blogging
we're visiting realtions in NZ and Australia. You're pictures are great - we hope to be there in march.

[Priscilla]

I love reading your blog -- and the photos are spectacular! So glad you are enjoying New Zealand. Such a beautiful and varied country.