| NEW ZEALAND- December 2004 |
| Claire Rosemary Jane, Children's Author |
| Visit to New Zealand |
| Links Tsunami New Zealand homepage New Zealand Index page Tsunami Towns and Cities: Auckland Wellington Christchurch Invercargill Nelson Picton Greymouth Queenstown Napier Gisborne Taupo Rotorua Paihia Specific Excursions: Franz Joseph glacier. Stewart Island Ulva island Southern Alps The Tongariro Crossing Cape Reinga Christmas Day in Rotorua Travelling Currency. |
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| Franz Joseph Glacier |
| My main website is at http://clairerosemaryjane.co.uk |
| H aving been on an active volcano in Hawaii and having only seen glaciers from above in Switzerland, I wanted to take the opportunity of actually going onto a glacier. And New Zealand would give me that opportunity. This probably listed second or third in my priorities for things to do in New Zealand. Whereas I am normally quite happy to arrange my own itinerary with regard to general travel, excursions of this nature, such as up onto Franz Joseph Glacier, where there is theoretically a certain amount of risk involved, I always consider it worthwhile going on an organised expedition. For the people who run these sort of expeditions are there all the time and doing this sort of trip on a daily basis. Thus I booked on one of the Glacier Experience trips with France Josef Glacier Guides, and duly reported the night before for a short briefing; and then on the day itself, whereupon we were taken by coach to the bottom of the valley that leads up to the glacier. From here it was about a 45 minute walk up to the foot of the glacier itself. Once here I knew that I would again probably have problems with the fact that I find climbing makes me be quite breathless, however by taking it gently and not going with the fastest party I achieved sufficient for my own particular desire, that is to actually walk across a part of a glacier, and take some photographs from there. Once again the weather had not been particularly good but at least it wasn't raining, just grey! And I felt that the effort that had been required for what amounted to about a four hour trip in total had been worthwhile. |
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| Left View from the head of the Franz Joseph Glacier, looking down the valley toward Franz Joseph and the Tasman sea. |
| Photograph copyright Claire Rosemary Jane, not to be used without permission. |