New Zealand Trip Report, Twenty-Four Hr Menses 7: Hokitika Gorge, Franz Josef Glacier, Twenty-Four Hr Menses 8: Play Tricks Glacier

February 24, 2017, Friday:

Hokitika is the Jade Capital of New Zealand together with has arts, crafts together with natural West Coast beauty. The stunning Hokitika Gorge, views of Mount Cook together with the Southern Alps, lakes are attractions, bushwalks, Hokitika was commencement settled inward 1860, later on the regain of aureate on the westward coast.

We stayed at a lovely flush at Mountain Jade Backpackers

Hokitika Gorge:

Early inward the forenoon nosotros checked out, fix off inward slight drizzle to the gorgeous Hokitika Gorge. Totally worth the thirty km ride

This beautiful bluish river is nigh an hours drive from Hokitika! People tell the brilliant bluish color of the H2O at that spot goes soiled together with chocolate-brown later on a lot of rain. We enjoyed the small pelting wood walk, the swinging duet together with the brilliant turquoise colored lake.

Our commencement intro to the horrible sandflies was here... nosotros covered up, slathered on our babyoil, Deet mix inward the exposed areas together with were condom from the bites

After the viewing platform scrambled downward every bit good for awesome views...

The milky bluish color of the H2O is due to glacier Earth stone floor. ,, neat explanations inward the boards...

We had a picnic repast at a scenic spot on the way

Assembled sandwiches amongst cream cheese, tomatoes, avocadoes together with a dash of garlic salt. Juice complemented the meal.

Earlier nosotros had been to Hokitika Glow Worm Dell, but it had overstep away twenty-four hr flow pause together with nosotros could non run across the glowworms on the bank. We had been likewise tired to brand the small three infinitesimal drive the previous night... oh well, nosotros had seen enough at the Waitoma caves!

On our supply , nosotros looked to a greater extent than or less the jade shop... lovely jade together with Maori woodwork, Bought some free stones.

Had a brief halt at the lovely beach.

YHA FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER

We were together with then off to Franz Josef Glacier... Reached YHA correct at the pes of the glacier,.. LOVELY...

After cheque inward started off to the auto commons for the glacier sentiment indicate hike... hikes from the hamlet of class add together to a greater extent than time!

Franz Josef Glacier:

Franz Josef Glacier was commencement explored inward 1865 yesteryear geologist Julius von Haast, who named it later on the Austrian emperor who sent him on the mission to go the globe together with honour neat sites. Sadly the Emperor never got to run across the identify himself .

The glacier is 5 kilometers from the town of the same name. From the glacier auto park, nosotros tin give the sack hike to a alternative of scout points for a bigger sentiment of this river of ice.

While glaciers to a greater extent than or less the globe are retreating, the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers all the same flow almost to ocean level. The temperate climate at this depression height agency these glaciers are amid the most convenient to see inward the world. Easy walks to the pes of the glaciers overstep along ancient river valleys amongst steep sides bearing gigantic horizontal scars from when the glaciers convey retreated together with advanced over millennia.

We hiked inward forested trail earlier nosotros come upwardly out to the moraine valley floors... prissy waterfalls together with gurgling river flowing by...

We had been apprehensive to start this hike belatedly inward the day... had glorious conditions together with the lite was on the glacier.... AWESOME! Pics are thus bad... no justice!

Love this high-five-guy... who waits for us at the cease of the glacier hikes...

We returned to the hotel, together with were mighty happy nosotros had had such neat conditions for our belatedly hike.

There was no parking at our hostel, the chemical compound was full. We drove into the hamlet together with parked on the street. Got permission from the guy who was entering his home... he was sweetness nigh the parking. We gathered our materials together with walked dorsum to the hotel

February 25, 2017, Saturday:

TREKKING POLES LEFT BEHIND:

We started off early on inward the forenoon together with reached Fox glacier village. I saw a lady amongst her trekking poles together with realized our poles had been left behind. Son went to the Bella Vista hotel together with asked if he tin give the sack job their telephone to cheque amongst the YHA nigh the poles. He offered to pay for the call. The lady said it would go long distance on the hotel telephone but her cellular telephone has unlimited invention together with she allow him job her personal phone. So real prissy of her!

YES, the poles were propped upwardly inward the corner of our room behind the curtain, We drove dorsum together with got them. Some precious fourth dimension was lost inward this backtracking together with a valuable lesson learnt... to go to a greater extent than thorough... it had been because of the parking issues but who needs explanations/excuses?

We were real grateful it ended well. The poles were of neat job to me together with the hikes would convey been hard without them

FOX GLACIER:

We started our glacier viewpoint hike... murky conditions but pleasant conditions...After the sandfly bites at Hokitika gorge, I was extra careful inward roofing upwardly amongst my bangle together with ticker keeping the shirt sleeves tightly closed. [I had been bitten inward the auto later on taking off the layers... later on escaping the flies at the gorge amongst our babyoil, dettol mix]

Here's our high-five guy telling us today's conditions...

Weather was blustery for a while, together with then nosotros warmed upwardly amongst the walk. These light-green poles kept us on track...views were good, the photographic idiot box camera has non picked it up... the accompanying rive was a lovely pale light-green , the hills a lush green

There were streams to ford, some over bridges, some over stones...

It was a shorter hike than Franz Josef together with our high-five guy was presently met...

The glacier was hidden yesteryear a stubborn cloud... nosotros sat to a greater extent than or less for some 10 minutes but it did non lift...

Slight glimmer of the glacier here... it was 1.30 together with nosotros had a long drive ahead of us... thus nosotros reluctantly left...

Had our picnic repast at the auto park... it was pretty scenic amongst high cliffs all circular together with a light-green morainne lake... sandflies were kept off amongst a slather of our abode made repellant... babe oil-dettol mix.

Fox Glacier to Haast:

Fox Glacier to Haast 122 km (76 miles) was the commencement purpose of our drive amongst small halts at Lake Moeraki together with Monro beach. The whole drive was pretty scenic.

Sand wing repellant was a must-do on all halts...

Ship's creek... amongst a ladder for a lovely lookout...

Going upwardly the ladder gave a neat advantage point

We reached Haast visitor center...

Haast to Wanaka 139 km (87 miles) was the side yesteryear side together with finally purpose of the drive for the day.

Had a scenic halts together with small walks to lovely falls... Roaring Billy here, together with then Fantail falls, Thunder Creek Falls, Gates of Haast, Ship's Creek together with Knight's Point Lookout...

Views were stunning through out ...with snowfall covered mountains together with glimmering lakes...

Setting Sun adding his magic...

We reached Wanaka at nine PM... a lovely room awaited amongst a gorgeous sentiment of the lake....

WHAT Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 DAY!!

Our days nine together with 10 at Wanaka together with Te Anau are covered inward the side yesteryear side post:
http://www.kris-sapiutri.blogspot.com/search?q=new-zealand-trip-report-day-9-wanaka