so far there have been planes trains and busses. there have been clear skies, rain, ice…and possibly snow tonight. we’ve seen mountains, rivers, glaciers…and tomorrow a sound that is technically a fjord and simply misnamed.
climbing franz josef glacier has been my highlight. we did a 3/4 hik instead of a full day or a half day. i think it was the right choice…the half day was too short and not enough challenge and the full day would have been too long looking at ice.
but what beautiful ice. crevices and caves and sculpted piecs glowing blue in the bright sun. i thought i’d be freezing but i peeled layer after layer off and soaked in the reflections of sun off of ice. ice pick in hand i navigated deep orges and steps carved by our guide. and at one point we slid down a natrually made slide. stunning doesn’t begin to describe it. once in a lifetime doesn’t begin to explain it. and pictures won’t do it justice…but i’ll post them once i’m home so you can try to imagine the beauty i got to take in firsthand.
the other interesting thing about this trip is the coloring of the rivers. blue green or green blue depending on your perspective. all fed by the glaciers (the lakes are the result of glaciers as well and share similar coloring) and are freezing all year round. but their interestin coloring comes from something called glacier flour – rocks ground finer than dust by the pressure and movment of glaciers over years. it is so light it suspends in the water and appears clear. and even left to settle out…it doesn’t.
majestic.
we’re in queenstown now…surrounded by the remarkables (the mountains engulfing this ski town) and in the shadow of what looked like snow clouds. tomorrow we head to milford sound.
Franz Josef… that's great! I did the hike there and I have some wonderful, BLUE photos from the ice… great experience! Good to hear!