Franz Josef Glacier and a Rainy Day in Wanaka

We are now in Wanaka, catching up on email as we wait out what we hope to be a quick rain shower. Wanaka is an amazing spot - a valley surrounded by Mount Aspiring National Park with a giant, beautiful lake. There is a triathalon happening here today that is just about equivalent to an Iron Man. Watching the triathletes pedal by inspired us to hopefully rent bikes or go for a run later on today if the weather clears up, though our athletic endeavors will probably be significantly less impressive than those we witnessed this morning.

Yesterday, we did our hike on the Franz Josef glacier - one of only three glaciers in the world that are advancing, rather than retreating. It was pretty neat to climb on the ice - glaciers are crazy things, indeed. Our guide was a little overzealous in his efforts with the ice-pick, seemly desiring to carve something equivalent to the Spanish steps into each rise in the glacier rather than just the small footholds that we really needed. So going was a little slower than we'd expected or hoped. But the sun came out just when we got to the top of our hike and we had excellent views of the whole glacier. Most importantly, Sarah looked ravishing in her gigantic borrowed rain jacket, wool mittens, pants tucked into her green wool socks and black rubber hiking boots with spikes.

The drive from the base of the glacier to Wanaka was spectacular. In four short hours we went from the rainforest on the western coast, through tundra, past snow-covered peaks, and down into the Lake Wanaka valley. Now Ernest has his best view from a holiday park yet.

Sarah in her glacier gear.

The Franz Josef Glacier - one of the few in the world that is advancing rather than retreating. The hot continent of Australia heats the air flowing east so that it picks up moisture from the Tasman sea. This drops a lot of snow on NZ.

The beautiful scenery on the drive to Wanaka. Fields, mountains, puffy clouds, and, of course, sheep.