Franz Josef glacier

I was very much looking forward to doing a full day hike on the Franz Josef glacier, but while on the bus there I get the news: because of global warming or the such, the glacier has melted too much and now considered a too unstable geological feature. All full day and half day hikes and ice climbing have been cancelled. Fox glacier, on the other hand is all systems go.

We came across a temporary road block on the way.

At which point I basically went "rats, shouldn't have listened to all those people convincing me to go to Franz, should've went with my original plans to Fox". But what's done is done and I already booked my hostel.

I arrived afternoon at a very small Alpine town and immediately went asking about glacier tours. I figure, I can take a shuttle to Fox glacier from Franz Josef. But what? because of the sudden cancellation, large tour companies moved all their client's booking to Fox glacier so that when I tried to book anything like ice climbing and full day hikes it was all booked solid for tomorrow, after tomorrow and after after tomorrow.

So I decided to go with the flow and take a heli-hike. For one thing, I have seen a side by side photograph of Franz Josef now and 10 years ago and boy! Did that ice sucker shrunk! So I thought it was worth seeing Franz Josef while it didn't completely go away and taking a heli-hike will make it just a bit extra special seeing as I never been up on a chopper before. If I really like the glacier hiking part, perhaps I could stop by Fox glacier later on if I so choose.

I think at the end of the day, I definitely made the right decision. The guide (who was actually from Holland, but with the kiwi laid back attitude) was fantastic! Hiking was tonnes of fun, especially where we had to squeeze through an ice ridge.

Blue ice is gorgeous. The best part for me was the helicopter ride, though.
Planes have nothing on helicopters. Just going straight up was amazing! I recommend going up in the craft at least once in your life. Flying is just an amazing experience no matter how you look at it.

My ride's here!

Since the heli-hike was in the morning, I had enough time afternoon to hike the surrounding rainforest and in the evening I went to the Glacier hot pools. they had 3 pools heated to different degrees, I choose the coolest one being at 36C (I can't take being in much heat), and that was just perfect. A perfect end to a perfect day.

So there you have it - I walked on that glacier, I drank glacier waters (before, you know, it gets bottled), and I swam in its waters.

And oh! The day I arrived at Franz Josef, one of the French guys that I played Articulate at Greymouth with, ended up being my roommate! So in that evening, me him and our Japanese roommate all went for a late night hike to see glow worms in the forest. Well worth it! Was pretty magical. Of course, I ended up being the only one with a flash light (thanks to my father), otherwise it would be impossible to walk as it was total darkness there - as in if you extend your arm in front of you, you wouldn't see it. But the small pinpricks of blueish light were quiet magical.