Franz Joseph and Fox Glacier were a huge disappointment! I had planned on going ice climbing on the glacier and skydiving over the glaciers, rain forest, snow capped mountains, and the ocean! HOWEVER, no one ever mentioned that this small area of New Zealand gets more rain than the Amazon rain forest! Seriously? Yes! Alicia, the girl from the north island, and I drove down to Franz the day before yesterday... it was pouring down rain... we walked the main street, which consisted of two shops, the i-site center, the glacier adventure center, and about two bars and three restaurants. Once we had exhausted those options we decided to go back and check the forecast - RAIN! Let's just say in the 42 hours we were there it rained 40 of them! The only two it didn't... this morning as we were leaving! Are you kidding me?! So, needless to say, you can't climb a glacier in the rain, you can only do an adventure walk... a walk, hmmm... in the pouring freezing cold rain for 5 hours and $150 bucks, hmmm... nope, I don't think so! And the skydiving was also a negative, until at least Sunday we were told. BUMMER!
Now for the good parts of Franz Joseph... the locals. The name of the bar at the Rain forest Retreat Backpackers where we were staying was Monsoon and their slogan, "When it rains... We pour." Go figure. So, Alicia and I decided to take up on the only nightlife to be had and went to join the crazy Kiwi bussers at the bar. After hanging out for a little while and joining in the nightly Paper, Rock, Scissors competition, we started talking to the barman, Liam, who was a local and hilarious, and just excited that we weren't part of the annoying bus crowd. I was trying to get them to play some music from this decade when next thing I know he shows up with a "teapot." These are the new "it" thing here in New Zealand bars... they mix some crazy concoctions put them in a miniature teapot and serve it to you with shot glasses. That was a nice gesture - I think he was just bored... then I mentioned how much it sucked that the weather was bad cause I had planned thoughout my whole trip to skydive there. Now, they had all these prizes and such for the different drawings and games, but only the bus kids were usually entered... BUT, he slipped me a 'two for one voucher' for skydiving (the highest and best) in Queenstown!!! AWESOME! (or as he would say, Owesome)!
After a good night's sleep to the sounds of pounding rain, we decided there was nothing to do and no where to go and we were tired of being wet! So, we declared it a movie day. Then I got invited to a local rugby training... so fun to watch - I just wish I was going to be there for the big game! Next it was off to some really great Indian food (surprising for a town that size in the middle of nowhere) and to hang out at a more normal low key bar.
Alicia and I were up and raring to go early this morning - ready to get out of the rain and get on our way. Now, I have just have to mention that the one break in the constant rain was for about two hours this morning - go figure - just as we're leaving! But, it did give us the opportunity to go see the much talked about Fox Glacier... not much to write home about. I guess I got spoiled in Alaska, cause this is not what I had been expecting. Maybe it's not such a bad thing to have skipped the ice climbing and had a day to recoup...
So, after waiting about 20 min. on the two lane (at some points barely sealed, paved, road where all the bridges are one lane) for the "roadworks" crew to finish felling trees, we were on our way here, to Wanaka. It's a beautiful little town on a huge lake surrounded by the most beautiful snow-capped mountains. I think Alicia will be my travel partner until Queenstown, we'll drive there tomorrow morning I think. It's pretty cool to have met a really cool girl with a car, who just happens to be going in the same direction as me! I just gave her a few bucks for petrol (gas) and we called it even - sweet!
I can tell it's getting to the end of my travels here... I'm less anxious to get everything in, and just want to soak in the atmosphere... I'm tired and need a nap (unheard of at the beginning of this trip)... and I'm so saddened at the thought that I only have three more days in this beautiful country... also sad to leave behind some really cool people that I've met along the way...
GOOD TIMES IN NEW ZEALAND!
Queenstown and Skydiving here I come!
Kate
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