The Rest of the Post (your reading this backwards)

Ahhh, where did I leave off at the last post? Oh, yeah, the rain. We had arrived in Franz Josef and it was pouring rain. It is the location of a glacier which did not compute since we were sitting smack dab in the middle of a rain forest.

While eating dinner, the rain let up and we decided to go see the glacier - it might be the best visibility we got. So off we went - on a 5 minute hike (our hotel person said) which was really a 15 minute each way walk - to the glacier - with the rain starting to get heavier and heavier.

Arrived dripping (although my new Australian bush hat was keeping the rain off my face) and took some sorry photos:

That night as I lay in bed listening to the rain pour, I decided that we would all kill each other if we had 6 more days like this - at the least I would end up stabbing someone with a fork. But we had our insurance, Dad had prayed and Gary, just to be on the safe side - brought 4 umbrellas as insurance against any more rain.

Sure enough in the morning, Gary got up, went to the window and excitedly told me to get my camera. Mountains we had not even seen the day before was visible, and SKIES - we could see BLUE!

So off to the glacier we trekked again. Noting that it was incredibly odd to walk through a thick rain forest to see a glacier:

Better, no?

Then down the road a few more kilometers to see Fox Glacier. We just drove to a lookout and did no hiking (we had a huge day ahead of us as you will read) and this is a telephoto shot of the front of the glacier - such a cool design! (Love the blue ice also)

Then on the road and driving South, parallel to the ocean. We got out to take photos and discovered we had hit the mother load of cairns:

Thousands upon thousands of cairns for about a kilometer on the ocean. They were wonderful to look at and you had to wonder - who started this? Some were incredibly intricate and balanced perfectly. Mom made her own - so we have left our mark in New Zealand!

More ocean shots with what I call Dr. Seuss trees:

Then inland to some wonderful scenery and waterfalls:

I cannot seem to get enough shots of the beautiful trees here:

And on to views (still with BLUE SKIES) of the Southern Alps:

Tree silhouettes just made me want to take a photo:

Intricate cairn at the base of a water fall. Someone got over the river to do that:

Waterfalls through the trees:

And on to some huge lakes with the Alps showing in the distance:

More Alps, more lakes:

And finally, ending up in Queenstown. A beautiful town on a lake with a gondola that we might take tomorrow, might not - we will plan the day as we go.

I am having a ball!

I have been shopping like a fool and bought a Jade necklace - only 5 families on the island are allowed to harvest the jade and I purchased a necklace from one of the family members. It is an unusual shape and she told me that it is the Maori symbol for 'strength'. Today I went berserk and bought earrings to go with it, a jade key chain, a stone carved necklace and a bag to put it all in. Yesterday I also bought a vase made out of the trunk of a fern tree - they are the most exquisite tree all along the rain forest and the vase is to die for. Unfortunately the airport in Australia does not like imported wood, thus my Nativity (next blog) and my vase will have to be fumigated for a fee (but SO worth it ... and again ... yes - spoiled).

I don't know when I will have Internet again. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. We pretty much ignored it today - having fish and chips for lunch at the 'Grumpy Cow Cafe' and Turkey Subway sandwiches for dinner.

I have taken literally thousands of photos and this is the most beautiful country! We are out of the rain forest and if we don't run into it again I am going to miss it horribly - so beautiful!

Until next time ...