From Salt to Snow: Franz Josef Glacier

We got rained out and a bit behind on our biking miles...so we hopped another naked bus! Now we're in Franz Josef, and just returned to our hostel from a day "tramp" up to overlook Franz Josef Glacier. We opted for the much longer, rougher, sparser traveled road/trail. We saw four hikers all day long, when across the valley, it was wall to wall tourists trudging in a straight line like ants.

Lessons learned:

1. No matter how many times you watch "Lord of the Rings", you'll still never remember the theme song. We tried all day.
2. Lots of sheep here. Reminded us of our days in Billings, when we were hard up to even find ground lamb for some Greek dish we were making. When we querried the butcher woman at Albertsons, she said, (we are not making this up): "Lamb? I don't eat no baby lamb." They did stock veal, however.

3. When a random dog barks at you on the beach, he wants the stick thrown in the ocean, not on the land.



Art is everywhere in Hokitika, a hot spot for jade carving and

beach sculptures.

 

Mauri art. This made us giggle.





Art cattle grazing on the beach.

 



 

Campsite at Lake Mapourika.



Sunrise over Lake Mapourika. We think the big peak coming through is Mt. Tasman.





Crazy stairs coming from Mordor....actually,
100 years ago these steps (supported by steel
bars drilled into the sheer rock) dropped right
down onto the glacier, which has since
receded another 200 meters up the canyon.



One of three swing bridges on the tramp to the glacier.



 



And tomorrow, WE RIDE!