Queenstown & Franz Josef

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Hi again, it's been a while but we've been so busy!

Finally got to Queenstwon by coach as the flight was cancelled due to snow storms, but it was a happy disruption. A six hour trip but it was worth it for the scenery. Queenstown was in full swing for the Winter Festival for the opening of the ski season and we arrived to fireworks and street musicians and partying! We organised a couple of days skiing straight away as Cffian was very eager to get started. Worked out quite reasonable with a place called Browns where you can hire everything including bus tickets and lift passes and lessons. I learned how to move but took a while to learn how to stop without falling down. Didn't get passed the nursery slopes though! Cian took to boarding no problem and loved it! Youth!!! The first day we went to the remarkables ski slope and the drive up the side of the mountains in a bus is not for the faint hearted!! The sunrising over the snowy peaks was stunning (when I peeked at it through my fingers that is)! The drive to coronet Peak the following day was a lot lesss spectacular but a lot easier!

On Friday we took a trip to Milford Sound and though it was a 5 hour trip each way it was well worth it. We had a 2 hour boat trip in the sound, just breathtaking even though it was raining (again) and the dolphins didn't appear!

After 4 nights in Queens town we set off for Franz Josef and the glacier. Another long drive of 7 hours and with even more amazing scenery. It's such a beautiful country. We drove (in a bus) through mountians covered with snow and ice for most of the journey then we crossed the mountians by Haste Pass and arrived on the west coast to a completely different country (it seemed). Within a very short few kilometers on the western side of the mountains the scene changed from alpine to subtropical rainforest and the Tasmin sea with no snow at all! Franz and Fox are the homes of the 2 largest glaciers in NZ. We're staying in Franz (arrived in the rain again) and spent today on a walking trip on the glacier or at least the boys did. I got kitted out and walked and climbed to the base but chickened out in the end. It was daunting and beautiful but ice climbing is not for me, I was too scared. I would have held up the group and didn't want to do that. Anyone who knows my feelings about unprotected heights and cliffs will understand. so myself and an american girl were escorted back by a very nice guide! At least I tried!!

We're staying here at the Rainforest Retreat which has a bacpackers section and so is very lively. we had good craic in the bar last night watching the Rugby (Wallabies v All Blacks) and had quite a late night (11.30) but had the first lie in in a while (8.30). We usually have to up before 6am when travelling.

Tomorrow we're off to Greymouth to catch the Trans Alpine train to Christchurch where we'll stay for a couple of days before going to Kaikouro to see the whales. After that it'll be the North island!

Still haven't got a NZ sim but will get one tomorrow in Christchurch!

Seems I can put some pics on from here so might try later!

BBFN

Helen

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Comments

[Andersen clan]

wow
Wow sounds fantastic, we are so jealous. Jeremy said to say hey Cian and have some great stacks on the slopes. lov B.