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Day 14 - Thursday 3rd May
Left Lake Wanaka 10.20 ish Gem drove today. The weather was dry and quite warm and sunny. It was a nice scenic drive through tropical forest and mountains to the coast which was very similar and green. We stopped at Haast beach which was pretty with the green mountains close in the background though guess what... there were loads of.... SAND FLIES!!!!! We must be very sweet tasting yumm yumm no sugar needed!! Refulled and had yummy ice-creams. Gem and Sar got out at hte next beach stop which seemed tropical with an island on it! It was lush! Drove on a bit further for lunch at yet another beach with...... SAND FLIES!! .... Picnic in the car again.
Drive to Franz Josef from here was windy with much the same scenery as the morning. Arrived at Franz Josef early evening and found the backpackers hostel Glow Worm Cottages. It had a free spa outside...and out of order BUMMER!! and soup at 6pm which we missed this evening. Walked into the small village main street and booked a Helicopter ride for Nikki and a half day glacier walk for Gem, Sar and
Kee. Back at the hostel made yummy youghurt curry chicken, rice and carrots. Rented a video 'The Batchelor' for $2, it was amussing, ate popcorn, fat piggies all sprawled out. There was a laundry room next door so no more dirty clothes. No more smelling hurray! Well for us three anyway!
Our room is pretty cool, it is like a motel room with ensuite and kitchenette, we have bunks as usual, and TV and video in room... luxury!! The aussie guy recommended it. Went to bed late unfortunately, but were excited about the following morning. Sarah wanted to go ice-climbing but thought it would be better for another time.
Day 15 - Friday 4th May
Gem, Sar and Kee up early at 7 this morn for walk. Nik had a lie on till 8.15, first time in two weeks! We walked down to the tour office to pick up our equipment and to get on the bus to the glacier. The guide lead us to the bottom of the glacier where we put on our cramp-ons before spliting up into two groups. We went with the 'fast' group and went off cut ice trails and
through a crevace. We had a wet bottom time after we climbed up and slid through an ice tunnel. The walk was cool and the views were amazing! The texture of the ice surface was like honeycomb. Walked between walls of ice in some places, was quite scary for gem as you know there is probably a huge hole not far beneath you!!!! Got back to the hostel around 2pm. Both had a shower after the warm walking after we had come down from the ice!
Nik left for helipad at 9.45. Met a young couple who she chatted with for the duration of her ride. After a short safety debrief they took off! The views were stunning and like nothing I have ever experienced. The pilot took us up Franz Josef Glacier first...we flew right up the valley over the ice and it seemed like we were only a few metres above! It looked quite wet and some of the cravaces in the ice were extremely deep, seemingly endless...pretty amazing! We went on to Mount cook and flew around...could see for miles, snow-capped peaks and lots of snow all around, much more than I had expected!! We landed
on the snow for about 10 mins, where we were able to get out and walk and take pictures - it was sooooo cold but the sun was shinning and it was LUSH!! Flew over the Fox Glacier on the way back...had a longer flight than paid for...JAMMIE BUGGER HEY!! 40 mins instead of 20 mins. Flying back down the Fox valley was AWESOME...the pilot did sharp left/right tilts and it seemed as though we were flying into the glacier face...was great fun!! Took some great pics...i think! Touched down at 10.45 and had a huge smile on me face!LOL!! Must be one of the best experiences.
Took 2 short treks up near the Franz Josef Glacier and took more pics...really pretty scenery through the forest walk. Drove to Fox Glacier town and stopped at peak lookout for lunch, it was fairly picturesque but the weather had started to change and some cloud was covering part of the peaks. Drove back to hostel and met the girls there for cuppa tea!
Popped to the mainstreet to look at one or two shops. Fancied buying loads but too expensive...just some postcards and a print was our limit! BOOHOO...why aren't
we millionaires!?
Stopped at a nice little cafe for hot drinks + chocolate cake - YUM YUM!!NICE ONE! Managed to be back at the hostel for free soup at 6pm...hoorah!! It was quite tasty..that was our supper sorted.
Updated Weblog at last!... "Shall we go see some more glowworms girls?!"
We will upload out lovely pictures when we get back to Sarah G's in a few days!!! ENJOY PEEPS!!:-)
....Oops...didn't actually get round to going to see the Glow worms!! Or uploading our pictures for that matter - sorry guys!
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