Franz Josef glacier

We set off pretty early this morning after breakfast as we wanted to get to Franz Josef with enough time to do a walk. After a while we stopped for a tea break at a beautiful lake (Ianthe lake) that was so still that the water perfectly reflected the trees surrounding and the mountains beyond. With our flask full of hot tea we sat by the lake at a picnic bench and drank all of our tea (the flask isn't huge). 

Next up we took a detour off the main road to Okarito to see a lagoon and wetlands. We parked and did a little mini walk across the wetlands (there was a wooden walkway built over them). By the time we got back to the car and had driven over to the lagoon it was time for lunch. We sat at a picnic bench looking out over the bright blue lagoon and mountains far in the distance. Not a bad lunch spot. 

After food we drove on and finally reached Franz Josef. It was village sized but was packed full of people (tourists) sat outside of cafes in the sunshine. As it seemed busy we thought it best to find a hostel before going on our walk. We checked in at the YHA and a lovely lady helped us out, telling us the best walks to do so as to see the glacier. This excited us and so we drove five minutes down the road to the start of the walk. A very clear path lead us through the middle of a large open space that reminded us a bit of the flat lands around Bromo. These huge cliffs covered in trees and little waterfalls rose above, surrounding us. We could see more and more of the glacier as we tramped along the rocky path and after around an hour we reached the viewing point. As its far too dangerous to walk on the glacier or very close to it (there are guided tours where they take you over it but they're well pricey), little ropes keep you from going further and signs explain what happened to others when they stepped over the lines which scare you enough to make you stay put. The glacier itself, rising high above us, wasn't as impressive as I'd been expecting. It was this big chunk of ice lying between two mountains but parts of it looked rather dirty and it wasn't very big. I now realise that the glacier is melting rapidly and so it used to look spectacular. Something to do with global warming I believe. Don't get me wrong, it was still worth seeing but I wouldn't rush back to see it again. 

After the glacier walk there was a little shorter one to a small pond that looked out over the flatlands and to the glacier as well as a view point that we climbed up to. This made our walk a little longer so we felt like we'd actually done some exercise today. However, when we got back to the car it wasn't 5pm yet so we decided to treat ourselves and went to visit the hot pools in the village. They weren't hot springs (they can be a little more expensive) but there were three outdoor hot pools that were surrounded by lovely rainforest plants and trees. We were hoping for mountains views and so were disappointed when we walked out to the pools. Nevertheless, we spent a good hour flitting between the different temperatures (36, 38 and 40 degrees Celsius) and felt rather relaxed afterwards. We headed back to the hostel and cooked a tikka masala for our tea. We used a paste again like for the Thai curry and added a tin of tomatoes but the paste seemed rather strong and not in a good way. The flavours were harsh and made the curry acceptable but not entirely enjoyable. I did however end my day in the loveliest way by factimeing my mummy and having a lovely long chat. Only two weeks until I see her again in Sri Lanka!