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Hello loyal followers,
So this morning started with a common running theme on this trip . . . a hangover after last night's fancy dress party antics. We boarded the bus at 9am where we were waved off by our amazing hosts and headed down the coast to Franz Josef.
Our first stop was in Pukekura and the Bushman's centre. The centre offers an insight into how people used to make a living through timber milling, possum trapping and helicopter deer-recovery. The tour started off with a 20 minute video how farmers used to first hunt deer then protect deer by jumping from helicopters on to fast running deer in order to net them so they can be taken to farms. The film was hilarious showing some of the outtakes when it goes wrong and also showing examples of net firing guns used when they realized jumping out a moving helicopter was a stupid idea. After the film we got a chance to see a live possum, for those who don't know possums are classed as vermin in New Zealand. You are encouraged to eat possum pies, buy possum skin products and if you see one on the road AIM FOR IT! Once we had learned everything there was to know about possums we grabbed some breakfast before getting back on the bus and continuing our journey south.
After another 3 hour drive we arrived into Franz Josef where our first job was arranging and paying for our following day activity. Once this was done we headed for the hostel, got checked into our 5 man dorm and settled ourselves in. The five of us decided to go the hot pools park just down the street to relaxing after our drive. They were lovely with three different temperature pools, the hottest was 40degrees and too hot for me but Nikki loved it. After we headed back to hostel to cooking dinner and headed to the bar in the evening for a pool competition with locals, other buses and the rest of our bus. It was a good night; I came 4th but didn't win anything but had fun all the same. After the competition was finished we all headed for bed as we had a very long day ahead of us.
The following morning started early as we were going on a day hike up Franz Josef glacier. We were up, dressed, packed and at the guide centre for 9.00 am where we signed in and collected our equipment. The company supplied us with a thick jacket, water-proof trousers, hat, gloves, steel-toe-cap-boots and crampons in the small bag. Once kitted out, we boarded the guide bus and headed 15min out of town the trailhead for the walk. We disembarked the bus and walked half a mile to the base of the glacier where were brief on the day's events and split into three groups. This was our first sight of the glacier, we were stood on an ancient river bed carved by the glacier thousands of years ago. The glacier was approximately 800m in front of us between two huge mountain ranges which rose up from each side. It was truly breathe taking, this huge lump of moving ice sitting in the middle of a mountain range. We decided to go in the fast group and headed up the river bed first as we were setting pace for the rest of the groups. Our group leader carried a large pick -axe used to clear paths and cut steps in steep sections.
The first walk was brisk along the shale water bed before starting a steep zigzag trail up to the base of the glacier and the ice beyond. Once there we stopped for a drinks break and to fit our crampons to our boots. You had to step into the spiked frame and tighten up the straps so they didn't flap around when walking, once I had mine fitted I helped Nikki with hers before being instructed how to walk and utilize the spikes. It was very strange at first as we had to continue on the shale path for a bit before the ice began. As my family will know, I struggle to lift my feet when walking normally so it wasn't long before I quickly learnt not to in crampons or I would be on my face eating ice. Once on the ice it was amazing how much grip the crampons gave you, when walking up hill the smallest kick would set the spikes in the ice so you easily walk up sheer faces and steps. Once on the ice our pace slowed as I guide used his axe to cut and clear steps for us and the following groups behind. We headed up the foot of the glacier and onto the face and top flatter sections. We followed paths between the large chunks of ice and step carved steps until we were on the Plateau where we stopped for lunch and a well-deserved break.
After lunch we started to investigate the glacier more, cutting new paths over the large sections of ice. It was great fun having to find a route across sections that didn't involve going over bottomless pits or large water filled caverns. Some of the cracks in the ice haven't been measured as beneath the glacier is a huge water filled cavern fed by the multiple water falls cascading down the surrounding mountains. We got a chance to go through two "blues" which are holes cut through the ice by the wind. New 'Blues' and crevices open every day so each day on the glacier is different. The first was at the bottom of a small crevasse where we shuffled under the ice sheet and came out in the next crevasse along. It was great fun and a very tight squeeze, apparently if you get stuck just breathe heavy to the melt the ice but you might still be there for the night. The second was a huge hole cut through the again between the crevasses but this time there was no need to squeeze as you could practically stand up inside. The guide told us the first hole was formed 10 days before and had grown in that time to the size it was now.
After a couple of hours playing on the glacier, we started our decent back to the foot of the glacier and the river bed beyond. On route our guide showed us quartz crystal produced by the pressure under the glacier so most of the way down people where looking out for pieces to take home for souvenirs. The crystals ranged from a cloudy white to perfectly clear with the best also being hexagonal shaped with perfectly straight sides. The decent took just over an hour and buy the bottom your legs and knees where burning from the gradient and steps. We removed our crampons once off the ice and headed back along the dried river bed to the bus. The weather had been beautiful all day and when back at the bus looked like it was about the change, great timing.
We returned to the guide centre where we gave back our equipment before heading back to the hostel for a well-deserved rest. In the evening we cooked dinner and chilled out after our long day before heading to bed to prepare for the following day. . . . Nikki's birthday and Wanaka.
From Franz Josef with love.
Ben and Nikki xx
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