Up Close and Personal with the Glaciers! Fox Glacier, New Zealand

Glaciers again! We are like kids when we get around the glaciers. This time we did and all day hike on the glacier which was much cheaper at Fox Glacier than Franz Joseph Glacier (required a helicopter ride). We thought our boat ride near the glacier at Mt Cook was cool, but this was way cooler.

Um....could I get a little help here?

Delicious fresh glacier water.

Toes on the nose.

Wanaka, New Zealand

Wanaka is referred to as a smaller, quieter Queenstown. Though we liked Queenstown, we preferred Wanaka. Of course they have a lake, no shortage of water in this country. Lots of hiking and mountain biking trails, good beer, good food, and a cinema paradiso that serves drinks and food before, at the intermission, or after the movie.

Went to Speight's Bar for some delicious craft brews and met a group of Kiwis that were on vacation. They gave us some recommendations and said if we met earlier they would have taken us around, what hospitality. They went next door for dinner then a couple of other's sat down with us. Turns out they have a vacation home in Wanaka and recommended the exact same places as the previous group. Then they offered to take us mountain biking the next morning. After our ride they gave us fresh fruits and veggies from their garden. We cancelled our expensive wine tour to hang out with them, well worth it.

Checked out Quentin Tarantino's Django at Cinema Paradiso with some beer during and dessert at intermission.

Te Anau, New Zealand

We went to see the glow worms here. The are actually maggots not worms, but if they referred to them as maggots not sure we would have gone. No pictures of these as they are in a pitch black cave. Some photos of Te Anau and our trip to and from the glow maggots (just doesn't sound as appealing).

Happy Valentines from Milford Sound, New Zealand

Ah the great, untouched Milford Sound is actually not a sound but a fiord. What is a sound and a fiord you ask? I don't know but I'll look it up right now.

Sound:

In geography a sound or seaway is a large sea or ocean inlet larger than a bay, deeper than a bight, and wider than a fiord; or it may be defined as a narrow sea or ocean channel between two bodies of land

Fiord:

Geologically, a fiord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.

Technicalities aside it was full of sand flies (only the females bite) and very much intact and untouched.

Another night away from the luxuries of a campervan park spent trying to keep the sand flies out and eat in peace.

 

This waterfall is taller than Niagara Falls, but the massive mountains make it look much smaller.