Day 69 – Big ice and big kerbs

After the Inka trek we swore there would be no more serious walking. So off we wet this morning for a half days glacier walk.

First we kitted up at the glacier experience centre in town before getting the bus to the glacier car park. From there we walked across the rocky river bed to the terminal face.

The terminal face is where point where the ice ends and the rocks pile up as its bulldozed down the valley. Before going onto the ice we had to don crampons. We were led up the first face via a series of steps carved into into the ice. From there we were led further up the glaciers, going through canvases and ice caves.

Our guide was Japanese but had a New Zealand accent. the two combines were incomprehensible at first but after a while sounded brilliant. He appeared to be the boss of the other guides and occasionally  would stop to chat on his walkie talkie. He’d also stop once in a while to carve out new steps with his axe or check the guide ropes.

Returning to Franz Josef town we collected the car from the YHA and stopped off for petrol. Pulling away from the pump I heard a large scraping sound and got that sinking feeling you only get when you know something been damaged. The car’s sill was impaled on a large hammer head shape kerb that protruded nearly a foot at the front and rear of the pump. I complained to the attendant but she just spouted out that they are like that to protect the pups from camper vans. Why not just make the kerb wider all the way round then?! I really can’t believe how much bad luck I’m getting and this one is set to cost me the $1500 dollars excess on the car hire insurance and probably meaning I won’t be able to afford to travel for as long as I’d planned.

The scenic drive to Queenstown was pretty much ruined and I tried to sleep as much as I could. We arrived early evening and found our hostel, high up on the hillside. We headed into town an opted to watch Death Race at the cinema.

Back at the hostel I got my first sighting of thee Southern Cross constellation in the dark sky above the town.