Smokey the Hostel Cat

This is Smokey. The signs in the hostel warn guests that he can sometimes be grumpy & scratch but we've found him to be particularly affectionate when there's food around. Quel surprise!

More Rocky Mountain

The best thing about being in this region (apart from the scenery) is that we're so high up we get to drive through clouds!! I haven't stopped being excited about this yet.

Rocky Mountain

Diamond Lake

Lake Wanaka

This is the view from our bedroom window at the Purple Cow backpackers' hostel in Wanaka. Pretty imppressive, huh!

An Icy Swim

There's a lake at the bottom of Fox Glacier & these two lunatics went swimming in it. Seriously they must've been mad. There were huge chunks of icy floating in it & everything. They didn't stay in long.

Fox Glacier

We thought we'd have another go at getting close to a glacier & managed to get a bit nearer to this one. Couldn't help wondering if Fox's glacier mints were named after it.

Bad Weather, Plans Scuppered

We had decided that rather than do the very expensive heli-hike we were going to do one of the self-guided tours to the glacier. Our plans however are disrupted by the ever unpredictable weather. With heavy rain comes danger of falling rocks & changing river direction & the conservation department decides to block off the routes we were thinking of taking for safety reasons. We do manage to get some pictures before we can't get any further & after braving the cold & wet it's not too diappointing to get back to a warm fire to sit by and a fluffy cat to stroke at the hostel.

The Glacier Close Up

On one of the pictures you should be able to see tiny figures of people who have taken a helicopter ride to the glacier & are having a guided walk on the surface using ice picks & crampons.

Franz Josef Glacier

This huge glacier is gradually advancing and retreating up & down the mountain depending on weather conditions. Large pieces of the ice break off & fall to ground each day.

Punakiki & the Pancake Rocks

We stop at Punakiki to see these unusual rock formations known as the pancake rocks. When the tide is right the water forces itself up through blowholes in the rocks & big jets of water spurt into the air as if from a whale. Sadly, even though we arrive at the right time for the tide, because it's such a fine, calm day there's no water spurting today.

More Buller Gorge

Walking the Bridge

It's pretty wobbly. Some people decide to do it Krypton Factor style on a wire.