Blogs from Franz Josef, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 42

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Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Franz Josef February 12th 2007

hey guys, so im in franz joseph and we are only here for one night but i finally actually have some time to sit down for a while on a computer. the big thing here is the glacier but, if you ask me ice is ice, and ive seen the one in our mountains so i dont need to pay to see one again. so after crossing over from the north island (the ferry crossing was very smooth by the way, apperently it can get rough sometimes) we went to nelson where we went to able tasman national park where me and steven went sea kayaking. it was a lot of fun even though our guide (who was from vancouver island) said the waves were the 2nd biggest she had seen. it did get a little ... read more
nice beach huh?

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Franz Josef February 6th 2007

Tervehdys Franz Josefista. Queenstownin kauniista maisemista on siirrytty tanne Franz Josefin jaatikon tuntumaan, missa maisemat ovat edelleenkin hyvin kauniita. Pysahdys taalla jaa lyhyeksi - saavuttiin eilen illalla ja lahdetaan pois huomenna aamusta. Kylla taalla varmaankin saisi enemmankin aikaa kulumaan, mutta... Tanaan kaytiin oppaan johdolla kavelylla itse Franz Josefilla. Ensin kaveltiin sellaiset 45 minuuttia, jotta paastiin jaatikon alaosaan, ja sitten kiivettiin reilu tunti jaalla. Jalassa oli retken jarjestaneen firman antamat kumiset vaelluskengat ja niissa kiinni jaaraudat, jotka ovat ihan ehdottomat jos mielii pysya pystyssa (ja hengissa). Kavely oli helpompi, kuin mita ennakkoon oli odotettu. Ei edes tullut hiki =(. No maisemat olivat kuitenkin kauniit ja opas komea =). Huomenna lahdetaan bussilla takaisin Christchurchiin, missa vietetaan vain yksi yo ennen Kaik... read more
Jaatikko
Jaatikko
Opas raivaa tieta hakulla turisteille.

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Franz Josef January 27th 2007

Now this is what I (J) call a big chunk of Ice! I (J) opted for the full days hike whilst Hannah chose the VIP option, fly by helicopter to the top and a two hour trudge around! I (J) think the pictures really speak for themselves so I'll not cheapen it with my heavy words. What a fantastic day out on the Ice and still no more injuries for H!!!... read more
Franz Josef Glacier
Franz Josef Glacier
Franz Josef Glacier

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Franz Josef January 27th 2007

Drove towards the glaciers but stopped in Okihara (I got the name wrong probably) which has a population of 30. It wasn't much to see so after an hour we got to Franz Josef. Checked into a motel for the night and werer told that we'd just missed the heli-hike. Hopefully the weather would be ok in the morning to go then. The view of the glacier from the town was spectacular anyway.... read more
Birds in Okarito

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Franz Josef January 22nd 2007

I have been on many glaciers in the alps but this place is unreal. Imagine glaciers starting at sea level near the sea which is surrounded by rainforest. It just doesn't seem real. Instead of the normal hikes people do I did ice climbing. This involved a 5 hour walk on the glacier followed by picking walls and scaling them with crampons and ice picks. Very demanding but a bloody good buz. I even managed to do an overhang which was very phyically challenging! The Rainforest retreat hostel was great with its 15 man spa. Had 3 bloody good nights in that spa! Fox Glacier was what I was really waiting for. I didn't walk it as Franz is bigger. However its claimed to be the best skydive in the world and I believe them. We ... read more
On the way down!
Ice climbing!
The Southen Alps!

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Franz Josef January 22nd 2007

No pictures today. This email cafe can not load pictures Hike to Franz Josef glacier and took hilicoper ride to top of mountain and landed on snow field at the head of the glacier. Hopefully, pictures in a few days Bob... read more
We went to the top
Jean looking for gold

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Franz Josef January 21st 2007

On the 20th we drove from Haast up to Fox Glacier. Fox was the 3rd opportunity for us to see Mount Cook, the highest point in New Zealand. Now bearing in mind that this is a 3700 metre Mountain, we have now been to it's base and 2 other viewing points and I can honestly say we haven't seen it yet. We haven't been drinking, and our sunglasses aren't too dark - it's just the South Island has spent most of the summer covered in low cloud! It's so annoying! So, after a brief wander round Fox - were we couldn't see the thundering great big bloody glacier on the mountain side due to the cloud, we carried on up to Franz Josef - site of the more famous glacier. The township of Franz Josef is ... read more
Eh?
Two eskimos
The Iceberg!

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Franz Josef January 21st 2007

We arrived to Franz Josef to the welcoming treat of rain, it rains here 264 days of the year! Had a easy day recovering from the Poo pub party and drank tea and ate copious amounts of chocolate with our girly friends! The next day was the hike on the glacier. It was a 6 hour trip which started with the task of suiting us up in boots, crampons, water prrof trousers and jackets, hats, socks, gloves etc! But miracles of miracles, it wasn't raining! Huirrah! The hike starts with a lot of steps that have been carved into the ice to actually get up onto the glacier. I had imagined that once you were up there it would kind of be like a flatish area of ice but this was so far from the ... read more

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Franz Josef January 18th 2007

Well this morning we set off for the town of Franz Josef driving down the west coast of the South Island. The good thing about the Magic bus is that instead of just getting to from A to B it does stops of interest along the way that also brake up the drive. Our first stop was morning coffee in a little town with a few great coffee shops; the one we went in had the hugest tea pot collection- I even spotted the famous Count down tea pot that loosing contestants are given when they leave which made me smile. We then went on to a little town called Ross which is famous for gold panning. You pay 5 dollars to have a go your self but when Liz and Sarah had a go ... read more
Frans Josef
The Glacier
Wanaka

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Franz Josef January 16th 2007

So after 3 and half months of not working i did some work for the 1st time!!! Ha Ha it wasnt that bad. WE are just doing a few days cleaning at a hostel to get free accomodation. Actually not bad at all. In the afternoon we went to Lake Matheson in the afternoon with a Ozzy girl (Kelly ) we met. WE had a picnic there. It is on all the postcards and it is supposed to be amirror lake and you can see the reflection of mount cook!! MMMMMM it wasnt quite like the postacards!!! It was very nice though. Very cloudy so couldnt see Mt cook. Got the picture anyway though! Tick!... read more




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