A long walk, a couple of glaciers and a hot tub. Lovely job!

The morning was filled with cloud and mist as we drove a little further south to begin our hike. It was early morning and we could barely see the road in front of us let alone the mountains we guessed were lining our route. Setting off into the bush, the trail quickly became a steep upwards climb that would remain until we reached the top of the mountain. Our path was marked out but the ground was swampy and we had to pick our steps carefully to avoid sinking in. 

Out of the woods and onto more harsh terrain the slope increased and soon there was frost under foot and the trickles of water had turned to ice. The cloud was still too low to see anything but we guessed we must have been getting higher quite fast. A forest sprung up in front of us and by the time we had made our way through, the mist had lifted a little and we started to see where we were. Snow peaks were everywhere and already the ground below looked very far away. We were now in snow and the higher we climbed the more the temperature dropped so that our noses felt like they would fall off at any moment! Thick ice patches lay in the long grass around us and Ollie enjoyed trying to crack them and see how thick it was. I’ve never really seen ice thick enough to walk on but we found it here.

Finally after just over two hours of climbing we reached ‘Bealey Top Hut’ and could rest. Inside the metal cabin were beds, a fire place, dry kindling, a pack of cards and various other useful things for staying the night. There was also a book where we could add our information. Using a piece of charcoal I scratched our names on the wall next to others that had been and gone. Outside we found a large log and sat down to eat our lunch. I had wanted to rest a while but the temperature was so low that we quickly cooled from our walk and started to get cold. The best way to warm up again was to start the walk back! Going down hill was far more fun and on the decent I was able to take more interest in what was around us. The cloud had all but disappeared from the valley and now against a backdrop of piercing blue sky ranges of rugged snowy mountains. All we could say was ‘Wow’. We could also see at this point how high we had climbed and I was pretty impressed with what we had accomplished!

Eventually we were back in the first wood and back to the start. It had been the long walk I had wanted and the views couldn’t have been better. Arthur's Pass is spectacular and I’m so glad we went 200K’s out of our way to get to it! We had a long drive in front of is for the afternoon to get down to the Franz Josef Glacier. But driving during the day is the best way to see as much of the land as possible and before we knew it we were back at the coast and the sea. We stopped in Hokitika as I spied a fish and chip shop that sold Kumara chips, my favourite! The town was actually really nice and far more aesthetically pleasing than Westport or Greymouth. If anyone traveling ever wanted a place to stop on the west coast I would definitely recommend Hokitika instead of Greymouth! 

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We woke to a thick layer of frost on our van and the sight of our own breath. Dressing quickly to keep warm we set off for a walk to the base of Franz Josef Glacier. One of two large glaciers on the South Island, Franz Josef Glacier is an enormous mass of ice carving its way between two mountains. As we walked along the open expanse of the stoney river bed at the bottom of the glacier, it didn’t look that big. But as a helicopter flew into the valley of rock and ice it all but disappeared. And as we got closer and the glacier still remained the same, we realised just how enormous it was. 

I suppose I was expecting some kind of arctic expanse of white that stretched for miles into the distance. So I was a little disappointed that the glacier was more of a frozen river in the mountains. Adjusting myself to the fact it wasn’t as I had imagined I was able to appreciate the marvel for what it was. We got as close as was allowed and read the signs that gave a bit of history and science on Franz Josef. It is possible to actually get on the ice (crampons and all) and to take a hike through tunnels, crevices and various other ‘icey’ extremes. However those trips were more expensive than we could have imagined and although it would have been fun, I do want to eat for the rest of the journey.

About 40Km further along the road is Fox Glacier. I believe it is the larger of the two glaciers and I have to say it was far more impressive to look at. I don’t know if it was because we were able to practically reach the base of it by foot, or because the day had become even clearer, but the ice was far more fascinating to look at. Perhaps I also knew what to expect this time so there were no dreams being dashed on this particular visit! We drove up a bit of track to get a higher view of the glacier which was worth it until Ollie misjudged a speed bump and we almost ended up through the window screen, pots and pans following behind.

After a morning of all things ice we got back to the van for an afternoon of driving. The next place on our journey was Wanaka (Say ‘One-eh-ker) and it was a good few hours away. Again we were in need of fuel and hoping for a little bit of ‘life’ so when we saw the town ‘Haast’ in bold type on our map we were full of encouragement. But we should have known better. Because ‘Haast’ was a ‘Haast been’ and just a collection of small shacks and one fuel station that of course charged ridiculous amounts. But I guess if I was the only fuel stop for 100’s of kilometers I would milk the fact too! So enjoying hours of endless beauty, mountains, rivers, wildlife, farm land and blue sky we made our way slowly towards Wanaka.

Suddenly out of nowhere a huge blue lake appeared on our right. The water, of course clear as anything (as all water ridiculously seems to be here!), mirroring the scene above it and calling me to jump into it. One a side note, every time I see a lake or river that’s more beautiful than the last I exclaim ‘I WANT TO GO SWIMMING!’ and Ollie has threatened to throw me in if he hears me say it again! Lake Wanaka is a massive expanse of water that can be followed on the highway down to the town itself. We stopped to walk along one of the beaches and Ollie played baseball with himself using driftwood and stones. A bizarre experience. I preferred to wonder in the nearby wood and then find a tree trunk to have a think on. The sun was beginning to start its sink behind the mountains so we set off again in search of a place to spend the night.

Lake Hawea joined us on our left for a while, a smaller lake but just as impressive and again lined with a sight that was far too magnificent. If there was ever a way to make you feel less than perfect or very humbled, the landscape of the South Island would be it. Just as we were starting to look for a lay by or parking spot, signs started appearing along the road declaring ‘No Freedom Camping Zone’ and we realised finding somewhere could be a real pain. The ‘zone’ continued all the way to Wanaka and in a way I’m glad it did because that place at sundown is wonderful. The end of the lake turns into pebbles and then shops, cafes and bars that line the pretty waterfront without imposing too much human presence on the area. A very cute ski town that was instantly likable.

With the thought of free hot tubs, sauna and internet in our minds, we couldn’t think of anywhere else we wanted to spend the night other than campground we had just seen advertised. O.k so it was a little more expensive than the $0 budget we had for that night but it was only the same price as other far less awesome parks we’ve stayed at. The showers even had underfloor heating and two doors so the cold didn’t get in! It was the first time since we left Auckland that I haven’t done the ‘undressing in a freezing shower cubicle dance’ which is usually followed by the ‘hop up and down until the water gets warm and then jump a bit more when it bursts out too hot’! We had a very relaxing evening before enjoying a warm nights sleep where I didn’t wake up every two hours freaking out that someone was trying to get into the van!

24/7/12