Initially we wanted to stay one more night at Lake Wanaka, but thinking about the journey we have to travel from Lake Wanaka to Fox Glaciers sort of scared us a little. We drove half the distance to Haast Pass which is so beautiful! Because Haast doesn't have much to see, we arrived at Fox Glacier pretty early the next day. We went straight to the glaciers because it is located just before the town center.
Glaciers
You could join a tour where they are able to bring you right up on the ice and this happens all year round! The glacier is just one massive chunk of ice that is slowly melting over the years. We went up their ourselves as it is free and there's a dirt path paved out for you to slowly trek up. Of course, since we were on our own, we had to stick to the path and not go wandering past the barriers. The land where the glaciers are located is sandwiched between the sea and the highest mountains in New Zealand. Warm, moist air travelling from Australia drops snow in the higher elevations of the Southern Alps, piling it up to form large neves or snowfields. Gravity then squeezes it down the valley as if it were toothpaste and the once fluffy snowflakes are compressed into hard blue ice. The valleys are so steep and narrow that the tongues of ice have pushed far down into rainforest and not much above sea level. The forces generated by the moving tongue of ice grinds away at everything in its path to reach the terminal face at the front of the glacier. A glacier likes to find equilibrium, where the amount of ice produced in the neve is equal to the amount of ice lost to melting in its tongue. This results in the dramatic advances and retreats of the terminal face of the two glaciers.
lake at the bottom of the glaciers
From where I was standing, you could see where the "lake/river" used to be. There were small streams running from the glaciers and I suppose it will fill up in the summer when the glaciers melt much rapidly. At one point, we had to cross a small, but fast and rapid stream. It's not that deep if you fall in it, maybe about shin high. However, you may loose your footing and get pushed down the stream in the current. There were large rocks in it for you to step over to cross the stream and I didn't want my shoes to get wet and I was scared. We spent a good 15 mins there trying to cross it.
Trying to be funny
There are numerous signs along the path to the glaciers warning you of rock or ice fall. The rangers change the path up to the glaciers once in a while when they deem the path too dangerous to trek or there's potential ice or rock fall. The view could very much be different if I were to go back in 5 years time!
Info about the glaciers
Why you shouldn't go past the glaciers
You might be surprised to find that snow rarely falls in Franz Josef and Fox Glacier townships - but a whole lot of it falls in the nearby mountains, just what a glacier needs to produce ice. This ice pushes down the steep valleys into the forest, meaning you don't have to walk far to see an amazing West Coast ice cube.
Fox Glacier!
Because we were in a valley to see the glacier, the rain clouds were upon us once we were at the peak. We had 1km of gravel, rocks and dirt to trek down. We obviously got quite drenched. Once we reached the carpark though, the rain stopped.
We went into the town center and realized that the town is actually very small and there's not much amenities. We drove straight to Franz Joself then because our guide book mentioned that there's a larger village as compared to Fox Glacier.
I decided not to go in order and post up this entry first because it's way overdue. Also because this entry has been typed up and just sitting in my draft folders for the longest time. It was one of the first post I finished once I came back from NZ and it's such an inspiration to have met those people.
We were heading towards Christchurch from the Glaciers and stopped by Arthur's Pass for a night to break the journey.
It was about 4.30pm when we arrive at Arthur's Pass Village. It was like a setting from a typical horror movie. The Village consisted of about 8-10 buildings, including 2 cafés/eateries and 1 information center. All were closed at that point. We drove up and down several times and we knew the next motor home park will be kilometers away, so we decided to stay at a hostel.
Arthur's Pass Village
The first hostel/backpackers inn we went to seemed closed. A signage that said the receptionist doesn't operate from that counter and to use a phone card provided and give the owners a call.
We felt a bit weird about it so we walked to the next hostel. We were just poking around at the front door looking at the signs that again said to pick up the phone receiver located just next to the main door to get access into the hostel. At that point, we were quite hesitant and considered driving through and out of Arthur's Pass to find any sort of life form.
Stumbled upon this!
Then the door opened and out came Bill. He was dressed in oil-stained overalls and had the warmest smile of a wise old man. We asked if we could just pay and use the facilities as we already had our own bed. We just needed a place to shower and cook our dinner. He agreed as there was only 1 person staying for the night.
To be honest, we seriously thought we'd get murdered that night and no one would even know. (Like in the movie, Hostel) But, boy were we wrong. Bill is the friendliest, nicest and fatherly New Zealander we've ever met. He gave us a mini tour of the hostel, the surrounding areas, and even told us folk lore and legends of the surrounding landscape. He told us how he operated his hostel (which I will not write here because people may read this and take advantage of him) and asked repeatedly if we had food for dinner.
As he only comes up a certain day of a week, I told him we were then, very lucky to have bumped into him as it was not that certain day of the week he'd usually come up. He replied, "No, I am also very lucky to have met you too." And he told me I have a beautiful and sweet smile which made me blush like a little girl.
This post will be filled with many quotes of that night.
Eventually, he got back to work, cleaning and oiling the machines and water heater tank (that's the reason for all the oil stains) in his backyard and we got back to preparing dinner. We got a large bundle of meat for only $10 by the way and had waaaaay to much food for the 2 of us.
Living Room/Common Area
Then in the midst of food preparation, in walked in an American Girl and a Spanish Guy. Let's name Her G and Him A. We exchanges greetings and they asked where they could have some coffee and dinner. Told them which direction to head to and they were out the door. A little while later, this Belgium guy (let's name him D) returned from his hike with a stone in the shape of a heart and presented it to Bill. It was quite a sight to see! A 70+ years young man giggling and joking around with D.
We cooked dinner and realized we had too much to eat so we gave some to Bill and D, as all they had were baked beans and some fruits respectively. We couldn't let them eat just that when we had so much meat and sausages. ($10 bundle remember?)
Kitchen
Somewhere during dinner, while D was telling us about his adventures in Paraguay, G and A returned and join us. Together we were exchanging stories about our travels and also taught each other vulgarities in our own native language. All 3 of them actually quit their jobs and will be traveling for at least a few years.
D said that although New Zealand is pretty but it is not as beautiful as some places he's been in South America. A retorted with, "If you keep comparing with other beautiful destinations, how are you ever going to fully immerse and enjoy yourself fully at the destination you're currently in?"
LOVE THIS FIREPLACE! Just was what I needed that night!
I felt so inspired at that moment. After he said it, it kept going through my mind. It's like in life, if you keep comparing with other people what you don't have, or even what you have and they don't, how are you ever going to really enjoy what you truly have currently?
As the stories flowed, G said when she went to Laos, she met several Laosian people. She said, "They have absolutely nothing, yet they are the happiest people I've ever met." She even recounted how one day she was just walking the streets of Laos and she didn't have anywhere to go or a place to sleep. A Laosian family actually took her in, fed her and gave her a place to sleep. We need to go to Laos soon.
G also recounted how she got lost in the jungles of Thailand (somewhere off Railey Beach) and she emerged to a deserted beach and how the stars were the best she's ever seen. If it was me, I would have started bawling my eyes out once I realized I was lost.
The next morning, we were talking about a waterfall Bill told us about. It was an easy hike of about 20-30mins to the Devil's Punchbowl Waterfall. Legend has it that if you drink from the falls, you'll stay young forever. Gilbert actually filled his bottle and forced me to drink it. I told him, "I'll be young forever if I drink this and die now!" I drank anyways, and I'm still alive. So I guess all is fine.
Devil's Punchbowl Waterfall
This was the point where we split up and reassured each other that we would stay in touch via Facebook. Gilbert and I were heading towards Christchurch, A and G were taking the long 4hrs hike, and D was going back to the hostel to meet Bill.
Once we were back and collected the car, we saw Bill still working on his machines. We told him that we were leaving and to visit us in Sunny SG when he has the time. He replied that he doesn't have a passport. Gilbert and I were so astonished. Bill said, "I don't need to see the world. With this hostel, people will come and bring the world to me."
He just warmed my heart so much.
Continuing our journey through Arthur's Pass, Gilbert and I were discussing about the stay. Gilbert said, "We are never truly happy. We just want to earn money to please people we don't like. We get married and hold an expensive and grand wedding banquet for people we hardly know. We travel on the basis that we want to reward ourselves for the hardwork we've done for other people. And we even have to buy gifts for people who we don't like (for him! I only buy gifts for people I like OK!) when we go on holiday. When are we going to do something for ourselves, truly?"
