After our adrenaline filled Halloween, we checked out of our hotel in Queenstown this morning and set out on a 4-day drive/tour of the central section of the South Island.
We walked into town and rented a car around 8am. After some breakfast, we loaded our gear from the hotel and set out for our destination today -- the glaciers of the western coast of the Southern Alps.
The first couple hours of the drive provided unbelievable scenery. Endless picture opportunities as we passed between mountain ranges, lakes, and rivers ---- all mixed in with the green country side littered with sheep, cattle, and deer.
We had lunch in a town called Haast - an extremely small town right on the Tasman Sea. After a great beef stew, we continued on for another 1.5 hours until we reached the town of Fox Glacier. We took an hour hike out to one of the very few glaciers in the world to be found within a rain forest zone. By this time of the day, clouds had moved in and it started raining. Although the pictures weren't fantastic of the glacier --it was still incredible to see how the glacier is slowly melting and creating runoff in the valley. There were posted signs leading to the trailhead that gave date ranges which signified the location of the glacier in specific years. Crazy to see the movement over time.
We continued north to the town of Franz Josef. This is where we are staying tonight. This is another glacier town -- similar to the Fox Glacier. We had a great pasta dinner, drove out to the glacier site, walked around town a bit and called it a day.
Tomorrow we head over Arthur's Pass to the town of Christchurch. Good night.
Drive to western coastline
Amazing scenery
Lakes on the western coastline of South Island
All good
Very nice
Couldn't stop taking pictures
Great clouds today
Excellent
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