This was Blaine's idea
Franz Joseph Glacier
"WARNING: Party under the Rocks"
After a fruitful week of Kate working and me getting things set up at our apartment, we were dying to get out of town. I can't neglect to mention that I got a job, a real one, not Kmart. So after our exciting week we jumped in the car with Jonny and headed off. Five and a half hours and some beautiful scenery later we were in Franz Joseph (the town). We grabbed a bite to eat and settled into our nice little cabin/hotel room.
Bright and early the next morning we decided to head to Fox Glacier to go on a guided tour of the glacier for about 4 hours. We met up with two Australian girls we met from Christchurch for the hike. Wow! Did not realize how difficult the hike up to the glacier would be. We probably should have realized when the guide pointed halfway up the glacier and said that was where we were going to get on the glacier. This meant we had to hike up a steep trail through the rainforest - yes, rainforest - to reach the glacier trail. Quite a unique experience looking through a rainforest at a glacier, and there are only 2 places in the world where you can do this, the other being in Argentina. Once we reached the glacier, we had to put on our cramp-ons so we could grip the ice, and we continued on for an hour loop on top of the glacier. Definitely one of the most interesting and beautiful hikes we've ever been on.
After getting back to Franz Joseph and viewing that glacier, we found out about a night trail that led to glow-worms. These are not the cute little plastic glow-in-the-dark worms that came in a sleeping bag (when we were kids); these are 6 inch long worms that hang under trees and rocks and glow bright green. Maybe a bit of an exaggeration, they are actually about 1/4" and their tiny head or butt (can't tell which) glows green. They were really hard to photograph, but Jonny managed to snap off a shot.
The drive back up the coastline and through Arthur's Pass was just as exciting, viewing it from a different perspective.
This is a website where you can view all of our pictures from our trip to the glacier trip.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0EZsWLlq4ZMXIg
We also wanted to post our address and phone number because a few had requested it:
4/26 Stoneyhurst Street
St. Albans
Christchurch, New Zealand
(64) 3-366-2776
3 comments:
Y'all are funny. Since you have a phone now, will you call me? I don't think I can call New Zealand on the cellular.
paj' i have been wanting to call but when i get off work it is 1 a.m. in NYC. i will have to call next week when i work nights. love, kate
that glacier picture is fantastic. it looks just like the area in alaska near denali national park where brother josh and i camped a few years ago. keep on travelin
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