The Glacier experience

There are many glaciers in this region, but the two most famous are Fox and Franz Josef. Franz Josef is about 20km from the sea and right now is moving rapidly (in glacial terms) at approx a meter a day. Most move only centimeters in a year. It is dependent on the snowfall over the preceding 10 years or snow that packs new snow on the top and pushes down on the base. The other unusual aspect is that the glacier is plowing through a rain forest. I took a walk this afternoon to the base of the glacier, or as close as they will let you go unescorted. There is a car park and then a short walk in the rain forest and the path winds around and then suddenly you make a right turn and you are looking at the glacier about 2 km away. The weather changes rapidly and the valley is steep sided so you can feel the cold air coming off the ice the closer you get. Basically you walk up the riverbed that is very rocky but with a decent path and markers and you get within about 500meters of the base. There is a constant danger of icefalls and some of rock falls and slides. 

So called "Victoria Falls" The water coming out of the base of the glacier

They have full day and half day guided tours and also helitours where you are taken on to the glacier in a helicopter and hike for about 2 hours and then taken back down. There are also aerial tours with a glacier landing, which is what I chose after some deliberation. I actually did this first based on the availability of seats. I think it was a Bell Jet Ranger and seated 6 plus the pilot. The heliport is about 300 meters from the hostel (as is everything else in town) and you can hear them going and coming constantly. When we landed on the glacier there were five others there at the same time from different operators.

The ride up is dramatic as you pass close to the sides of the valley and then fly over the ice field, and then over the ridge where it becomes Fox Glacier rather than Franz Josef. 

Banking  through the valley following the glacier

The decent is a series of dramatic turns following the sides of the valley and then over the village of Fox Glacier and on back to the heliport. It was all over too quickly but was a great experience. I had hoped to do it in a fixed wing 185 but I was the only one wanting to go and it is a minimum of two!

Franz Josef. No photos!

I arrived in Franz Josef last evening after a pleasant and unhurried morning in Greymouth. I gauged it about right as any longer and I would have run out of things to do. Their library has free wireless Internet so I was able to upload some photos and complete a blog page. That is proving more difficult here.

Franz Josef is here because of the glacier and no other reason that I can determine. It is a little touristy and busy. I had dinner in one place and took a walk afterwards and was looking at a menu at another place (maybe tomorrow I thought) There were two ladies who were quite vocal in their warning that I not eat there. This was much to the annoyance of the waitress (Understandable) but they thought they had lousy food in small quantity (if it is bad food who needs plenty of it!). Anyway we moved on and had a beer at the place where I had eaten. One of them is a pilot for Southwest based in Baltimore and the other is a (now unemployed business consultant) They have both volunteered on projects in Bolivia and we talked about Habitat and various issues and generally had a fun evening.

The views of the surrounding mountains and the glacier are astounding. I am conscious of the constant use of superlatives in my blog, but they are justified and my photographic skills constantly under whelm me.

I think a separate post on the glacier is the best plan.

I have mentioned that food is fairly expensive, particularly eating out. When I was in Greymouth I bought a “Cold bag” basically an insulated carrier and some food that I carry with me. All the hostels have fridges and you write your name on your stuff and your leaving date and prepare what you need. At a minimum I am doing breakfast and some lunches this way and the occasional dinner. There might be the occasional beer that finds it’s way in to the cooler, but generally not for long!

I am probably saving $20 or $25 a day this way with minimal effort. I am on the bus again tomorrow for the long haul to Queenstown. It is basically 8 hours.

There is some prospect that I may be able to pick up a rental car that needs to go back to Wellington, and there is a website where you can check. Often these cars can be had for the price of the gas and maybe a few $$ a day. I loke the bus travel for the people connections and ability to look at the countryside, but you cannot stop at will to take pictures so a car for part of the journey is somewhat attractive. I have not driven since I left home over 2 months ago so I am a little out of practice and they drive on the left!! We will see what happens.