Climbing Glaciers in New Zealand

Me in front of the Franz Josef Glacier

View more photos 

We left Simon´s place after recovering from the New Year and drove to the West coast, home of the stunning glaciers.

On the first day we walked to the foot of the Franz Josef Glacier which was spectacular. On the second day we had booked in for a days glacier treking on the Fox Glacier.

We woke up to sunshine and set off to meet the rest of our group. We got a lift to the base of the glacier and then began treking through the rainforest beside the glacier. We had to trek for just over an hour until we reached high enough to put on our crampons and get on the glacier itself. We had a brilliant guide called Gerald who was so enthusiastic about the glacier and was determined that we should climb as much as possible.

Being on the glacier was amazing as the colours were spectuacular and you could look deep into the cravaces which were a translucent blue. Gerald had an ice pick and he would carve small steps to make the walking easier. We were on the ice for about four hours after which time the cold was getting to us and we had reached the highest we could go before it became unsafe.

Simon and Pod on the trek up

View more photos 

The following day we drove to Arthurs Pass for our final night camping and our last night of cluedo together. Simon dropped us off at Christchurch airport (detoring to the salmon farm) for our last lunch and then a sad goodbye!