So exclaimed Sue over IM when I told her about our next big stop after Llama Lookout. Yes, I did say that, and yes, we did do it -- yesterday Bryan and I embarked on a day-long hike up New Zealand's Fox Glacier, one of two famous glaciers on the west coast of the South Island. (We chose the full-day hike on advice from Clare and Andy, a British couple we met our first week in Fiji and then reunited with over Chinese dinner in Christchurch.) I know, it's kinda crazy!You start below the actual ice formation, hiking up a green path and then eventually making your way through rocks and boulders. There's a brief stop where you apply crampons (I can't believe I wore crampons) and then you begin your ascent up the ice. At first, the ice is gray and mixed with rock and silt, but as you climb higher it becomes more blue and more pure. Walking on the ice itself isn't all that difficult -- the going is slow, which is nice, as due to the fact that your guide is cutting ice steps ahead of you with a pick axe -- and the crampons help to keep you steady. The worst parts, for me at least, were the rocky, sliding areas in which it's tricky to get a foothold, and the fact that you have to stamp your feet every step to get your crampons to engage. A bit tough on the knees. Oh and also, peeing on the ice.
There were some cool people in our group, most notably three cute French girls. I especially liked them because one was ready to leave at the exact same time I was, and another kept reaching her hand back to help me cross the crevasses. Very sweet. We had perfect, sunny weather, took some amazing photos and then treated ourselves to a indulgent, three-course dinner afterwards. Good times.
My next big adventure: Dirty Dancing, the musical, in Auckland. Almost like glacier hiking, but not exactly. ..........
8 Comments:
you peed on ice!!?? cool.
so proud of you guys. it looks incredible!
Two things:
1) So PROUD of you on the glacier! And peeing on ice! Will wonders never cease?
2) Why...WHY is Dirty Dancing, the musical, NOT playing in San Francisco?? Life is so unfair.
Thanks guys! It was wicked hard. But worth it. I think? And I know Sue, life is unfair. I will see what I can do to meet up with the producers of said musical and convince them that SF is their next best stop. (PS We did get our tickets last night -- yay!)
For the record, I did not pee on the ice!
I'm surprised at how warm you look. How come it isn't cold on a glacier? Great pictures. All your pictures look so nice.
I know! I'd say it was around 60 degrees up there -- we were REALLY lucky because it was sunny most of the time. I think the guide explained why it was warm and icy all at once, but I was too busy not killing myself to listen properly. The glaciers are melting mighty fast though. Thanks for the compliment on photos!! xo to Derek and Kyra too.
Up on the ice was really warm except when you got into the shade of the ice tunnels. The wind picked up from time to time, but for the most part, the sun was amazingly warm. The amount of sun was very uncommon as we were in the second most rainy location in the world (right up there with a section of Kauai).
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