Abel Tasman Park - Punakaiki - Franz Josef Glacier

Time flies when you have fun. In my case no news are good news. The longer between blog posts, the more adventures and better weather I have had. Today it is overcast which makes a perfect time to stay inside.

From Wellington I took the ferry to Picton, a beautiful trip through the Marlborough Sounds. Becky stayed behind in Wellington to find work while Sabrine and Anne Sophie were still there. In Nelson the three of us had a nice dinner before they headed further south. I spent one day in Abel Tasman Park kayaking from Marahau to Watering Hole (Anchorage Bay) and hiking the 12 km back along the beautiful coast of rainforest and golden beaches. Next day I took a ferry taxi up the coast to Tonga Bay and walked back to Bark’s Bay from where I could take the 'taxi' back again.

Split Apple Rock, Abel Tasman Park

Then with Magic Bus to Punakaiki where I stayed a night at Te Nikau Retreat, a wonderful little accommodation in the rain forest. Unfortunately I could get only one night there so I had to stay the second night at the less romantic 'Beach Hostel'. However with its location right on the beach it was spectacular with the strong winds and wild surf – plus a beautiful sunset.

A little hike into a gorge along the river makes you feel once again you are in ‘Lord of The Rings’ nature. The west coast has very high rain fall. Everything seems to be overgrown by moss, dripping wet from last night's downpour.

No wonder the movie was filmed here. You can easily imagine a giant spider jump down on you any moment or for Smeagol to sneak up upon you in a cave but the fact is that New Zealand has no dangerous creatures or animals - not a single snake, which makes me like it here more than in Australia where you are better off expecting any and everything you don't know what is to be deadly.

Punakaiki is mainly known for the bizarre ‘Pancake Rocks’. Within a few hours of driving on the South Island the landscape changes dramatically.

Punakaiki Pancake rocks

Franz Josef Glacier had been covered in clouds and heavy rain for days on end but lucky as I am, the skies cleared the day the Magic Bus rolled into the little town at the foot of the glacier and made it possible to sign up for a full day hike up onto the glacier.

Franz Josef Glacier

                                                                                                                                    

For the rich and lazy there is a helicopter ride to the top and for the adventurous (me!) a guided full day hike where you put on sturdy boots and crampons and hike halfway up the glacier. It is an amazing experience to traverse the masses of ice. The crevasses are so narrow that we had to turn the body sideways to be able to get through. The blocks of ice so big that you can't see nothing but white when you are down between two walls. On top of the walls of course the view is stunning! Just forget for a couple of hours that the glacier moves downwards 1-2 meters a day, cracking up ice now and then! But that is exactly what makes it adventurous :-)



Blue ice!