Considering my cold (now just a series of minor coughing spasms and a colorful discharge from the nasal passages) and that I was also drying my clothes, I was willing to take a slower morning - honey toast and chats with Maria before departing around 9:30am.
Hokitika was my first stop of the day and not only did I find postcards and stamps, but at the glass blowing place, I found me-to-me gifts. Yippee! Check out this gorgeous glass little blue penguin family that I'll be using to manifest a real Little Blue penguin sighting down near Dunedin next week!
I refueled VanGogh. Apparently it's harder to come by once I leave here.
Many a stop later (including at a river where I ran into a French woman last seen on a swing bring yesterday morning!) I entered Franz Josef Glacier parking lot. It had changed since 1993. Polished, organized and parking @ $5/hr.
The glacier itself has receded back up the valley a LOT since just 2010. It peaked out from under a cloudy veil, lit by sun and now photographed via 300mm lens. Still gorgeous - just failing to thrive. It's glacial waters - turned braided river - was tinged blue. Clean, clear and I'd imagine, cold.
A 2 hour conversation with Scott still turned out to be the highlight of this day as I parked along the river. My backdrop was akin to an old timey oil painting. I took pictures of course!
At 5:30pm I headed for Fox Glacier. The road was steep and winding, enveloped in native forest.
Kiwi signs were a surprise but it wasn't a surprise that I didn't actually see a kiwi.
Tonight was parked at a trailhead, tucked into the woods, enjoying salad and wine as a light drizzle fell and a tui vocalized outside my window. It's good to be here!
