SUNDAY 10TH TO TUES 12TH JUNE

Got into Franz at midday, watched Crash and then set off on a walk along the river bed and up this forest hill track to viewpoints of the sea on one side and the mountains/glacier on the other. The views were well worth the walk but since me and Kym are both numpties we ended up still out there in the pitch dark with no torch.Just about got back to the hostel for a well earned spa! It was up early doors the next day to do the full day glacier walk which we'd beeen looking forward to for weeks. After evryone we meet telling us how cold it is up there we layered up thermals n all.Turns out its baking when the sun is shining so 10 minutes in we were sweating buckets.So I ended up just in my T-shirt and carrying round the 600 layers Id put on!Well glad we did the full day-the ice at the bottom is a lot dirtier than the suff nearer the top.Got to see everything-ice caves,blue ice,narrow crevasses-the works.Absolutely stunning!Basically involved climbing up the glacier with the guide cutting steps in the ice as we go with his massive pick axe.The views of the snow capped mountains were class-plenty of kodak moments!

Lapped up the well earned free soup at the hostel and jumped in the spa!

Was planning on doing the full day ice-climb at the other glacier-fox but it wasnt to be.Didnt want to climb Franz again so I went to the indoor ice climbing wall instead and use the money id saved to go quad biking in the afternnon.Turns out I played a blinder!It was just me on the climb so I had the wall to myself (one on one tuition).Basically involves putting on a pair of boots with HUGE spikes all over them including fangs on the toes and useing them and ice picks to climb the vertical walls of ice,over overhangs and through ice chimneys.Loved it! afetr a a quick lunch it was off to the quads-over river beds, river crossings, mud fields,through forests with a brew stop thrown in as well. It turned out to be a SWEET ASSSSSSS day (as the kiwis would say!)

Met up with Kym at night and we went out to explore the forest in search of glow worms and then had a swift few drinks in Blue Ice bar