Today we are driving to a place called Greymouth, we are both a little annoyed by this as we have to stop here but we want to head straight to Franz Joesph where Bridie and Mike are heading too. We sit and consider several options but decide we have to go with the Magic bus flow. 

We stop again at many different destinations and luckliy for us the weather is nice and sunny and we get to really enjoy the scenary. Our final stop before Greymouth is to an area called "pancake rocks". We make our sandwiches from our goody bag and took the stroke around the rocks. They are strange, I can only describe it like it sounds lays of rock pancakes layered on top of each other. The sea has battered some areas to create holes that if stormy create blow holes but not today!! We study one set of rocks for awhile, the weather and sea has created a number of different faces and animal shapes. We could see a few but not all!!

We had got use to the idea we were staying in Greymouth, but got super excited when we realsied we had been on the road now for 5 months so planned to do the beer tour and get very drunk to celebrate!!

However we had a text from the others saying they were going to wait for us and take us to Franz Joesph. Excited but nervous about having to mess everyone around we cancelled our stuff and meet the others. 

We brought some supplies and got onto the open road ready for another road trip. However it turned a little sour when the police pulled us over for speeding but it could have been worse but he let us off lightly as long as Mike who was on a restricted license didn't drive and one of us did!! I thought it was crazy that I couldn't supervise Mike driving because i dont know the rules but without insurance I was allowed to drive!! Anyway we kept to the speed limits this time even on the open straight roads, but dad you would love it when you get to certain bits as the roads are so windy and so much fun I loved flying round Hurcules track!!

Arriving in Franz Joesph a very small town, just one road if you blink you may miss it!! We find our hostel, Rainforest retreat it was cool a mini rainforest in this what I can only imagine is like a ski resort town. After a long trip travelling we decided we deserved some relaxation, so we grab our bikinis and headed to the spa pool. It may be cold outside but the water was so hot I had to sit out just to cool down! The setting couldn't of been better, being so far out and have clear non poluted skies you could see thousands of stars!

We had a few drinks and did some dancing but generally kept it easy as we had big plans for the next day which couldn't be ruined by a hangover. 

I/we hadn't done much research into any of our travels but I had done a little and along with see an active volcano, see Iguazu Falls, do death road another high on my list was glacier hiking! I was gutted when I realised we didn't have the time to visit Patagonia in Argentina, but along the travels we had met lots of people who had told me about NZ glaciers so this was always a must do activity. 

We had to wake early to try and book our half day hike, we hadn't planned for it to be busy and there was a little worry that it may end up a no go!! However we were in some amazing luck not only had we been successful in booking our trip but it was a beautiful sunny day with not a cloud in the sky!! A perfect day for another skydive and being the skydive I orginally wanted to do I was finally persuade to live only once and worry bout money later, fate had it's plans and the company no long ran and I didn't have the time to go to Fox Glacier. I was not phased as I still had my Glacier hike to look forward too!!

We grabbed a beast of a breakfast to ensure our energy stores were full and boy was I stuffed after! Bridie with her Jammy job left us for her free scenic heli flight!! Not wanting to waste the morning we jumped into the car for a drive around and came across a lovely little walk to a mirror pool, which with the beautiful day gave us a super mirror reflection of Franz Joesph Glacier made even better as it was named Peter's pool same as my not so little brother!!

Still full from our breakkie we grab just a few snacks and headed back to met Bridie at the hiking office. They fully equipped us with all the special Glacier hiking gear, we all looked like true explorers! I was so excited, jumped on the bus and drove to the starting point. 

It was a long 2km walk to the base of the Glacier, but we had plenty of stops to feed us with lots of information about the Glacier. Again I haven't forgotten most, maybe I should try to record the info for all you back home who like to know more!!

I am about to attempt to remember a few things....
Franz joesph is one of the only Glaciers that runs into a rainforest and is not at high alltitude.