Walking on the Moon...

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Westland National Park
December 24th 2007

Published: December 24th 2007

Dec. 24th, 2007 Hello everyone! I hope you all are enjoying the Holiday Season and that it isn’t TOO cold where you are. Just so you know, its 70 and sunny here, and I think Im headed to the beach this afternoon. Life is rough, I know. Anyway, Ive been trying to update the blog for the past week, but again, there has been so much going on that trying to get it all down is impossible. So, i... Read Full Entry

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Nick Tilley

Not Just Another JAFA

Its all happening. The Adventure is under way... Yes, its true- My friend Cory and I have quit our jobs, and have left the comfort and security of the US to embark on an adventure of global proportions. We left for New Zealand on June 17th, and one 24-hour trans-Pacific flight, a few cancelled bus trips, and 3 hostels later, we finally made it to our first destination- Queenstown, NZ, on the South Island in the the land of the Kiwis. Mountain biking, bungee jumping, jet boating, canyoneering, snow skiing, rock climbing- Queenstown has got it all, and claims to be the outdoor adventure spor... full info

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Fox Glacier

Looking up the glacier, towards the ice-fall...

Into the heart of the glacier...

Another cave that seemed to continue deep down into the glacier...

Back on thawed ground...

Back in the valley after the helicopter ride back down the glacier. If youve never been in a helicopter before- GO! Its awesome!

The Cook Saddle Saloon

A great place for a beer and some ribs after a day spent tramping around the glacier...

The Southern Alps

Mt. Tasman (left, 3,498 meters) and Mt. Cook (Rt, 3,754 meters) are the crown peaks of the Southern Alps mountain range. Mt. Cook is the tallest mountain in New Zealand.

Lake Matheson

On the day betwen my two glacier hikes, I rented a mountian bike and explored the area around Fox Township. Lake Matheson, about 10 kilometers out of town, is a World Heritage Site, and is renowned for its mirror reflections of the Southern Alps. It was another gorgeous day, so it sounded like a good thing to check out...

The Walk Around Lake Matheson...

I still think its strange to have massive mountains, huge glaciers, and dense rainforest all packed so close together... Makes it very convenient to see them all though! The walk around Lake Matheson takes about 1.5 hours, depending on how much you stop for photos, video, soaking in the views, realizing youre in freaking NEW ZEALAND- you know, things like that...

Fern Shadows...

A testament to how UNBELIEVABLE the weather was- perfectly outlined fern shadows strewn all over the path. So cool...

Lake Matheson and the Southern Alps

Kiwi flora along the path...

The sun peeking through the ferns...

The Money Shot...

Mt. Tasman and Mt. Cook rise over Lake Matheson. On a calm day, the lake provides a perfect mirror reflection of the mountains. Alas, there was a slight breeze the day I was there- it ruined EVERYTHING. Not really...

Been there, done that...

There I am, soaking up one of the most incredible views in New Zealand.

Mt. Tasman and Mt. Cook

The Kiwi Outback...

I know, I know, MORE mountains...

I couldnt stop taking pictures...

Drawing a crowd...

I stopped to snap a few photos of the glacier and mountains (Surprise, surprise), and these resident cows took quite an interest in me. At one point, I counted around 50 eyeing me, with most of them ambling over towards me. Not sure if they thought I was going to feed them, but I didnt stick around to find out. Large groups of livestock scare me...

Local Fauna...

After all of the sheep Ive seen in NZ, I think this is the first picture Ive taken of any. Im not as afraid of them- they ran away from me when I stopped to take their picture.

Fox Glacier cascading down the Southern Alps

My trusty steed...

The sweet bike I hired for the day. Im not complaining- for $14 for the day, it got the job done.

Fox Glacier, Mt. Tasman, Mt. Cook, and Nick...

26th December 2007

erin
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wow...the glacier looks like so much fun! what an amazing trip!

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