Franz Josef to Wanaka, 6 hours, Nice scenery, Mixed Weather, 20C

Into the Interior:

Today was a driving day, but as we left our rainforest campsite...it was so wet early this morning that I needed a towel to wipe down the inside of the van windows...we saw better what we had hoped to see yesterday!

However, Mt. Cook remained elusive for another day. As we drove down the highway towards the turn off to Fox Glacier, the view back was striking.

Hey, I really like mountains and glaciers!

Onwards the short drive up to Fox Glacier. A long driving day again today so we decided best not to tempt the rain gods today and also to get back onto the road. Here are a series from the hike in today;

Himself. Amateur (but enthusiastic) writer, photographer and retired traveling soul...totally at home with his present life:-)

Sadly, I'm 100% sure that this glacier won't exist when my 'possible' future grandchildren come for a visit sometime down the road unless they arrive soon;-) Erin, our oldest, is getting married next year, so perhaps we are a bit closer to that possibility. The signage evidence is just too specific. Perhaps they will at least be able to look at these images. I know, not a very optimistic prognosis. However, the valley will still be a beautiful tramp...

Then it was southward down the coast skirting rain showers and looking at the limited views that were available. Avoiding the idiots who figured that it's ok to pass on blind curves...a real problem with some foreign nationals. The locals are pretty upset with the road carnage, understandably. We've seen it for ourselves. Enough said.

A nice lunch stop, but with the number of biting flies we ended up eating inside! Then I spent a little while clearing them out from inside! However they continued to bite us for several hours afterwards as we drove the windy narrow roads...hard to defend oneself!! Of course they knew this!

The interior was sunny and so much like the Okanagan Valley. You be the judge. Even a few vineyards.

A few nice peaks,

The wind was howling at about 60 knots! It was amazing, and Gil, not a boat on the entire lake! 

So that was our day. Not too shabby, followed by a death grip grocery shopping experience when we arrived! Now we sit in our quiet lake and mountain view camp site waiting on the barbie to be available, drinking a very pleasant Saint Clair Estate Pinot Gris from Marlbourough. Yummm! I know that the Sav Blancs are the thing here, but the Pinot Gris and Gewurtz are quite nice as well. 

Tomorrow we drop off our home on wheels and kick back in Queenstown for a few days and get organized for our 5 day cycle on the Alps to Ocean route that was opened just a couple of years ago. We met a local tonight involved with cycle racing here and he was excited to hear that we were doing the route. Apparently it's on he and his wife's to do list. He reminded us that there is also some climbing on the route...yes, thanks for that! We've seen the profiles! Hoping for sunny weather, but the forecast needs some work if that's going to happen. Oh well, at least we are here and on the road again! 

Last thing, there are these odd Jucy rental vans everywhere on the S Island. If you ask me, too bright to sleep in, but hard to miss!

Oops! Put this one in the wrong blog! That wine was better than I thought...oh well Annemarie is posting there tonight.

Franz Josef Glacier Tramp: Cloud, Rain - heavy at times, 19C, 17kms

"Sunshine on My Glacier Makes Me Happy"

Unfortunately, it was not to be this day. We had heard that this morning, early there would be a chance to see the glacier before the rains hit. And they were quite right! See...I took this from town about 8 kms away. How do I know this? Because after driving for so long yesterday we decided to walk there and back with a few additional trails added on.

To the right in the cloud is Mt. Cook, the highest peak in NZ. Perhaps we will see it from the other side when we begin to cycle down from there March 1st, but unfortunately we may be riding in rain as the long term forcast is not looking too nice. 

Off we set, but first a couple of local churches as one of our followers commented on the cool stone church I previously included. We do try to consider those who support us...

On with the tramp. We started off with a grey morning and quickly found ourselves at the single lane bridge to cross the glacial drainage plain. One of those temporary, permanent structures that somehow gets forgotten because for some reason it hasn't quite collapsed with huge loss of life, embarrassing the present government. Actually, compared with the other bridges we saw today, this one was pretty good.

We thought that we'd heard there were hot springs in the area, so when we saw the steam rising off the water we naturally assumed that this was what we were witnessing. Turns out the steam was really fog caused by the ice cold water meeting the warmer air as it descends.

By the way, Libby and Glen, seems that they aren't too dog friendly in this area...photo looks like the kids. Couldn't resist sending this your way.

The walk through the rainforest was really nice and we were congratulating ourselves on getting up early and tramping up as the cars, tour buses and campers endlessly drove up the road off to our left. We saw a Wood Pigeon, a few Rock Wrens and Fantails...beautiful colours. Then in the distance, the glacier, the purpose of our walk showed itself.

There were some nice falls along the way as well and some very nice vistas...

I met a Kiwi who told me that in 2005 when he was up here last that the glacier was down to the foot of the drop. George Bush direct quote, "there is no global warming!" 

A bridge...stay tuned.

Then as happens in all rainforests...it rained! It poured as it swept in on us! Great test for our jackets and gear. Annemarie's jacket flunked...we will look for a new one in Queenstown. 

Annemarie likes to walk in the rain...Geoff not quite so much. So we walked in the rain! 

Finally Annemarie agreed that we could descend and I was ok with that. I guess that had we driven up we would have seen the glacier in all its glory, but the walk was pretty amazing and helped us to figure out this type of wet gear...no ponchos this trip. Note to readers, if this seems disjointed a bit you can blame David P as he keeps sending me spell check corrections!!! He's such a Weka!! I have to stop messaging with David as I write this or else Annemarie tells me will miss out on the cheap happy hour drinks at the bar! So here are the final photos from the day...

Me on this suspension bridge...getting better!

And of course, what's a tramp without a few flowers!

Ok, off to enjoy happy hour! Tomorrow we hope to travel down the coast and tramp into Fox Glacier before a long drive closer to Queenstown where we drop off Thursday.

Ok, back at the camper waiting for the next rain showers to pass so we can get to the kitchen and cook our dinner. Happy hour was great with a nice calamari appie! Oh, and Stevie made his first appearance...though we have chatted.

Abel Tasman National Park: Cloud, Rain, Sun, 22c, 14kms - Short but Sweet!

First Rain In A Month!

And we got it! There are drought conditions on much of the South Island and in this area there hasn't been any rain in over a month. Until today. The one day we had available to walk Part of the famous Abel Tasman Track. Such is life, and in a way, it made for the experience that it is supposed to be...a sub tropical rainforest. When you get to the photos you'll see just what I mean. 

Up reasonably early we drove up to Kaiteriteri to pick up a water taxi which carried us up the outside of the park to Medlands Beach where we were cast ashore with instructions to not get lost and to be at the pickup point by 3:30, 5 hours hence. We originally arranged for a 5pm pickup, but the weather forecasts changed over night, so we adjusted accordingly to miss some of the heavy forecasted rains.

Our drop off point...

And off we went, through beautiful forests that have been protected from the voracious logging taking place just outside the park...unfortunately this sounds all too familiar. Clear cut loose going, not select cut. Any way, off we went...

Until we came to the...arrgh, suspension bridge! Those who follow my walks know that heights are not my thing so I took this head on and was first across! Continued growth! 

Unlike on the Camino Frances, I did take a photo of Annemarie as she crossed. Lord knows I wouldn't want to be asked yet again, "did you get a picture of me as I crossed", from someone who has no concept of height challenges! She's even smiling...the cheek!

Then off we went yet again, a bit of climbing and some descending as well, but I left my poles behind today just because. Here are some shots from the track...

Until we came to the tidal crossing...but,

as you can see, the tide was in...so the long way round, which was beautiful.

Then a climb up to Cleopatra's pools where you might want to bring your swim gear on a hot day...not a wet rainy day like we had!

And after a few more climbs and descents we found our way well along and nearing our destination.

We stopped for lunch, and considered walking on, but the sun popped out and the water was nice...so we stayed here and waded in the water and waited for our taxi. It was pretty nice.

We drive out to the west coast tomorrow.