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Published: November 20th 2008
30th October 2008
Today was the Glacier day! After a slow start at Lake Paringa (Pili couldn’t get out of the pit), toast and a meeting with an older American couple who were travelling in a car!! We headed toward the famous Fox Glacier. It only took us half an hour to get there as the view as we approach was awe-inspiring. The frozen river of ice was retreating back through the mountains, of course you couldn’t see the process but on the road in were placed various markers as to where the front of the glacier had been, going back as far as 1750. By the way, the 1750 marker was approx 2-3km away, hhmmm man made global warming, glacier retreat before the industrial age had an effect?
As most of my friends are aware my thoughts have changed in the last 18months about this very important issue. I was a 100% convinced of man being the cause, and have virulently defended the issue. Unfortunately when you step away from the slick Al Gore like propaganda and take a serious look at the science presented you easily find major flaws. The ice caps on planets such as Mars
as retreating, no manmade interference there! Also 2008 being the coldest summer worldwide for the last 20+ years. I smell a lie and fear propaganda, oh yeah and now we have new GLOBAL GREEN/CARBON TAXES being swept over a terrified population, who gains, the governments and the oil/energy industry!!!! No surprise there then.
Sorry I had to put my two pennies worth in, I’m just sick of being lied to by the powers that be. Remember, authority is not truth, TRUTH IS AUTHORITY!! Something we all need to remember.
Back to the glacier and away from my ranting.
The Fox Glacier was amazing and the valley that it had carved out was equally impressive. Vertical canyon walls of black shiny rock running down the valley. The river was of glacial milk and some off the standing pool were of the deepest emerald green. All the boulders in the area were covered in vivid red, orange, green and blue lichens. For me a photographers dream land.
We spent a good hour looking around and taking picks, it then started to rain. We retreated to the van and had hot soup.
Next the Franz Josef Glacier.
When we arrived at the visitor’s car park in was pouring. We decided to sit it out and wait for the condition to improve. Great chance for a little siesta, this travelling is hard work! I awoke to the rain pounding the roof of the van. Well what did we really expect, we were in glacier country on the notorious west coast of New Zealand. After a brief discussion we both agreed we will have to brave it and don our rain gear. It wasn’t so bad and by the time we’d walked the woodland path to the viewing deck, which was a good half a mile away from the face of the glacier the rain eased off.
Again we were very impressed. The glacier has a different look about it. The river valley is much wider with a roaring milky river thundering through. The Glacier face is almost vertical where as the Fox’s is a gentler slope. We decided to go against the warnings and make our way to the very foot of the ice cliff and get a good view of the huge ice cave at the base. It really started to chuck it down now; it
was as if Mother Nature was offended at our impudence in ignoring her warning signs. After coming this far around the World to see this glacier I wasn’t about to be pussy whipped by Mother Nature!
We trudged along the river valley, scrambling over huge wet boulders and across shingle river beaches, it was hard going and the rain never gave up. My biggest concern apart from our safety was my camera equipment. I thankfully had all the correct rain cover, but even so, water and digital electronics are not friends.
When we were within 50metres of the ice cave we had to stop as the power of the river in front of us ruled out a crossing. It was good enough for us, we felt like adventurers. The ice cliff in places was a beautiful aqua marine blue, but in the front edge it was a dirty grey colour created from all the sediment the ice hard collected through the years. The whole experience was inspiring, we felt very small next to this ancient force of nature. After taking all the photos we’d dared with ruining the camera we headed back to the van very pleased with
ourselves, Pili sang The Doors song ‘Light My Fire’ all the way back, I sneakily filmed her, I’m don’t think she realised what I was doing and I haven’t told her either, you may see it on youtube!
That evening we parked up beside a river at an informal camp site called Otto McDonald. To our surprise their were 4 other JUCY vans, we had a little convention.
The guys ib the other vans were from Melbourne, we chatted about shit, had a beer and retired. For the first time Pili and I decided to use our DVD player, we watch 4 episodes from Billy Conolly’s trip around New Zealand, it was bizarre watching this after the journey we’d done, very surreal but also hilarious, Pili was crying.
31st October 2008
Today we drove up to our final location on the North West coast, Hokitika. This whole area is known for its gold mining and arts n crafts, especially jewellery and cravings from Jade, of as the Maoris called it Green Stone. When eventually we arrived we spent a good couple of hours looking around the Jade stores. Pili wanted to buy something to take home, it
was all very expensive and this discouraged us. We then found a place called BONZ N STONZ. For $115 they would tale you through the process of producing your own designed piece of jewellery, Pili was hesitant because in was a big chunk of money, I told her I’d rather her make a individual piece than to buy a mass produced trinket. Anyway I’d indulged myself with my bird island trips. It was settled, she booked herself in for a day’s course after she’s designed a pendant for herself, and I could tell she was really excited.
I cooked up a big steak in the camp site kitchens, drank a bottle of red and retreated to some more Billy Conolly.
1st November 2008
After a really restless, rainy night I got Pili up at 7:30am made her breakfast and drove her to the BONZ N STONZ shop for 9:00am. She was nervous that she might ruin the piece jewellery and waste the money; I poked her in the eye and told her just to enjoy herself, (only joking about the eye poking). I went back to the camp site, sheltered from the pouring rain and wrote all
day catching up on the blog.
Pili was supposed to finish at 5:00pm, it was actually gone 7:00pm when finally she appeared, smiling from the shop. I had popped in to see her progress a couple of times during the day, it was obviously a very slow process and I think Pili was a little nervous when at lunchtime she hadn’t even started to cut the stone. All the worries disappeared when she showed me her creation. She designed a large pendent with her initials and a Maori symbolic fish hook into an oval design; it was brilliant, I was really proud of her. Her tutor also took photos of her and her work to put into their brochure. To buy a piece like this would have cost us easily over $500:00, I’m so pleased for her and now she will have a personal souvenir of our New Zealand adventure, forever!
In the evening we walked the beach at sunset then visited the local Glow Worm Dell, I very pleasant end to a successful day, Pili was obviously knackered.
2nd November 2008
TWO MONTHS SINCE LEAVING THE UK, God it seems so much longer than that!!!!
Today the sun is shining bright and clear, we have a good breakfast and take a long walk along the beach right up to the Hokitika River estuary. The shores are lined with whitebait fisherman and large pieces of drift wood; also every few 100ft we see Black Billed Gulls and Skylarks, what joy! Generally today is spent walkin’ around the town, takin’ in the spring sunshine.
In the evening we take a walk up to the highest vantage point in town to photograph the sunset. I also give a few tips to a young Welsh girl who is staying at the same camp site about how to take low light level photos.
I spent most of the night wide awake, sorting through photos; my insomnia is back with a vengeance!!
3rd November 2008
We set off early for the east coast and back to Kaikoura and hopefully for some sunshine and maybe if we’re lucky Hector Dolphins.
We decide to take the less travelled Lewis Pass rather than the popular Arthur’s Pass. It was a good choice, we saw our first really wild Weka on the shores of the Inangallui River, what a
bonus.
We’ve decided to go and visit Hanmer Springs Thermal Resort, a very up market ski resort with a famous volcanic thermal pools, we had to have a soak.
Upon arrival outside the pools a huge line of children were queuing to get in. No way was this going to happen unless I can take in large firearms and a pit-bull! We chilled in the van for a couple of hours until things had calmed down. At 7pm we paid our $12.00 admission and drifted around the pools for the next hour n a half. Apart from a dozen oldies and a few Japanese tourists we had the place to ourselves. I highly recommend this; it’s really invigorating, although you have to put up with the whiff of sulphur.
Instead of heading off again we decided to stay at a Top 10 camp site again, we were hungry and I needed a beer, good enough reason!
After parking up we headed for the local pub. We met a guy from Melbourne who was also staying at the site; he was property developer (with a project in Russia) and finance. A few beers later and we were
in a deep conversation. Back at the site we picked up were we left off and carried on until 4:00am in the camp site internet room, we sank several more beer & a couple of small bourbons, needless to say we have an open invitation to Melbourne.
4th November 2008
I woke about 9:00am feeling a little furry around the edges. Pili hadn’t slept to well either, it was a cold night.
After breakfast, showering and some time on the internet we finally left Hanmer Springs at about 2:00pm. It took us a couple of hours including a food stop to get to Kaikoura, Pili drove most of the way and I caught up on some sleep.
Kaikoura is as beautiful as I remember; we visited the seals at the end of town and decided to park up at the perfect Jimmy Archers Beach, we were asleep by 9:00pm.
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Lulu
non-member comment
wow!
Hi guys. Pilar thanks for your message re how to subscribe. I am a bit of an old fart when it comes to the technical bits!! You both look really well and the photos well they just blow you away. I'll make sure I keep up to date with your travels now I know how!!! Take care both and enjoy your dream xx