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Update 7 (25/03)
Went through Pukekura, via the Bushman's Centre & Museum, to Franz Joseph. Apparently there are only three glaciers in the
world that lie this close to the sea; Franz Joseph, Fox Glaxier just a few minutes up the road, and one on the west coast of South America. Won the Killer Pool competition that evening, to win another jetboating
expedition in Queesntown, although I may try to sell it, as I have already done this up in Buller Gorge!
Hired some snow shoes and went hiking up the glacier - weather was superb for it - lucky bearing in
mind that they have about 70 days without rain here per annum! The Glacier was very impressive - far more active, mobile and untamed that Glacier National Park in western Canada, which is the only other glacier that
I have been walking on. Got cramp in my calf the next day though, when walking around Lake Matheson in order to photograph the reflection of Mts Cook and Tasman - apparently the most photographed spot in New Zealand
- and to get a snap of Fox Glacier. Was limping quite badly by the end - you could say that I was doing the Fox's Glacier Mince!!?! BOOM-BOOM!! (Who wrote this script?).
Then off to Lake Wanaka, which is like
Queenstown on a smaller scale - famous for being a highly popular ski resort in winter, and an adventure activity centre in summer. Dipped a toe in the lake, but didn't fancy it above half - it's glacier-fed, and so
is a little chilly to say the least! We were booked into a great hotel, so I made the most of the facilities by having a hot bath, an early night and watching TV in bed.
The next day we arrived in Queenstown,
the party capital of New Zealand. Famous for adventure sports, skiing and water based activities on the adjacent lake and rivers, and also for its nightlife, it's a really happening place, but I could only stay a
single night, as I had to catch the Bottom Bus (sounds like a Cliff Richard home movie) to tour round the the very south of South Island. Nice accomodation again in a family room in a ski lodge (1 double and 2
single beds - to myself!) and I pampered myself with a half hour soak in the spa (nearest thing to a hot bath that I've had in this country). Ended up in a club called The World, which serves up cocktails in
teapots, somewhat incongruously... After about an hour's sleep I got on the Bottom Bus and set off for Dunedin.
<< Update 6 Update 8 (coming soon!) >>
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