Monday, October 13, 2008

New Zealand - Day 4 (Franz Josef Glacier Walk)

The attraction of the day was glacier walk at Franz Josef. What you can see in the picture is the boot and the metal grib at the base that we needed to wear before we could climb the glacier. This was the main office where we got our boots, metal, coat, gloves and a hat before we depart.
We were driven a shot distance to the entrance by a bus full of tourist like us. (Note: this pict was taken after the walk while waiting for the bus)
Yeah!! I was going to climb!! We went as a group and at this point, we were divided into the more adventurous and fit group and the normal/ slow group. I don't have to tell you which group I was in. haha!!

We need to cross a stream on the way. Didn't like the idea of wearing wet boots to climb the glacier!!

Here I come!! But you can see that we need to walk across a big stretch of rocky land before we can reach the glacier due to the glacier retrieving backwards, an effect of global warming!!


Passing through a little ice tunnel

That was our guide for glacier walk. He made the way for us so that it was safe to walk. Can you see what he was wearing compared to most of us? OMG....

Yeah!! I made it!! We are not up the glacier overlooking the valley and the lush rain forest so near to it.
Wow ...better be careful not to slip and fall into it!!
We were actually walking on ice in the air!! A crivice formed when the glacier melt.
Taking in this angle could show the gradient of the slope!! But I was not in it...as I was taking this pict. Our guide, posing for us after completing the climb and resting at the "peak".


This pict was taken by our young and handsome guide!!
Yea!! A sense of satisfaction concurring the glacier!!

Hmm this was the tunnel that I have passed? On my way down now.
I was so amazed by the beautiful rocks that I couldn't stop myself from embracing the rock!! These rocks are carved by errosion from glacier. The beauty of the nature/ mother earth/ the gift of 'God'!!

The same rock. Me replaced by Megan. (I still prefer this pict that I have taken for her than that one that she has taken for me...sigh!!)
Small water fall along the way back

This looks like Gasing Hill...haha
Wild berries

After bidding farewell to the Franz Josef glacier, we went back to Glowworm cottage to shower, had our tuna sandwich as we gazed at the glacier from the dining hall (sorry, no picts). Then we continued with our journey up north towards Punakaiki, our next stop for the night.
Only cows are that brave to pose for us to take pict!! The sheeps would run away before we can take a good pose of them!!



Sunset de...we were almost reaching Greymouth, the biggest township in the west coast.

All bridges are unique. Narrow as well. This one has a railway line on it!!
Another bridge.
Bank of New Zealand building at Greymouth.

The quay at Greymouth
We celebrated the day with a good dinner in a well decorated restaurant just beside the quay.
The food looked good but I would give it a 5 out of 10. Can see, cannot eat. I missed the pork rib cooked by Peter at Medley Hall, the smallest hostel of Melbourne Uni but with the best food by the Singaporean Chinese chef!!
This is our room for that night at Te Nikau. It was a little house built within the forest, with two twin bedrooms and a Japanese style dorm upstairs. This is the room that I had a strange experience at night. Firstly when we entered the room, it has wet fungus smell. Then in the middle of the night, the bed kept rocking, but when i turned to see Megan, she was fast asleep. My goodness, so who was moving? This is an unsolved mistery!!

Thursday, October 02, 2008

New Zealand - Day 3 (Gibbston Valley)

Today will be our first day that we start to drive.
After shopping in First World and picked up our car from the airport, we set off to Gibbston Valley, a winery.
Lovely rows of grape plants. No no...they have all been harvested and you cannot see anything except for the main stem.
This is a very small vineyard but due to the good weather, the owner was able plant pinot noir and produced award winning wine in France for their red wine Pinot Noir 2006.
Outside the winery. The car behind the scene was the one that we rented to drive around the west coast. It was Nissan and I was very satisfied with it!! Powerful and fuel-saving as well. Grapes were not in season as it was late winter. All we could see is the main bark and the wires on top.
Welcome to the wine cave, the place where the wine is kept in the oak barrel for developing the taste.
This is the stainless steel fermenter to ferment the grapes.
Our three precious bottles of wine from Gibbston Valley...after being satisfied with our wine tasting. The bottle in the middle was the red wine that we had every night. It was fruity. The white wine (Riesling 2006) on both sides are reserved for our family.
Outside Gibbston Valley shop.
Good bye Gibbston Valley. Now as we continued our journey, we saw more vineyard along the road.
Beautiful scenic drive all along the way!!
My next stop at Lake Wanaka. Oh my ducklings, come nearer...nearer...




Do these flowers look familiar?
I just love the sakura...
Picnic lunch at Lake Wanaka with my grapejuice and potato chips!!
Lake Wanaka, beautiful indeed with the snow cap mountain as the background. If you have more days and you want to enjoy this beautiful and peaceful scenary, taking a stroll, biking, you can stay overnight in Wanaka.




I could not believe my eyes as we continued our journey along Highway 8 to the west coast.



We passed by the whole stretch of Lake Hawea along the way. We were so lucky to set out our day in such a beautiful sunny weather that the lake was so calm that it reflected the surrounding like a mirror ...hence the mirror lake.... We actually stopped, took a walk to gaze at the lake. This is snap shot 1.
Lake Hawea - snap shot 2
Lake Hawea - snap shot 3
Lake Hawea - snap shot 4

A video of Lake Hawea!! Hooray!!
One more of the lake please....
One last one....can;t take my eyes off such beautiful scenary...but we gotta move on to reach Franz Josef before dusk (hopefully!!)
The drive after Lake Hawea was hilly & windy. We have passed numerous bridges. Most of the bridges are very narrow and only one lane. So car from one side has to give way to the other side.


It was my turn to drive when we reached Haast. So I was the evening driver. As dusk set in, I gotta get on the road fast so that we could reach Franz Josef asap.

This scenary was taken by my friend as I was driving. Finally we reached the sea in the west coast and we headed up north from there.

Another bridge.
We finally arrived savely in Franz Josef, and checked into GlowwormCottage. Another BBH hostel. I really loved the warmth colour that they have used to paint the whole area. Clean and comfortable.


After a long day's drive, I did not really feel tired. I was really happy and looking forward to tomorrow's glacier walk!!