Before leaving Arrowtown, we take a quick drive to see the houses built by the original gold-mining settlers -- among them, the butcher, the baker. These tiny houses have been restored and are now worth over NZ$750K (US$600K).
Amusing story told to us about Bill Clinton staying at Millbrook. Duck season started and hunters started shooting birds in the hills, which completely startled and panicked the Secret Service. More photos of Millbrook
We're headed towards Franz Josef Glacier this morning, expected to arrive by 6 PM this evening after a long and winding drive through NZ's South Island West Coast. It's an area that draws campers, hikers, and fishermen.
Our driver Dennis (from Christchurch) who's been been driving for 39 years, drives over many one-lane bridges. It's not bad since buses have the right of way and also because it is the end of the busy tourist season and traffic is light.
We stop at Kawarau Suspension Bridge where they have been bungy jumping near by since 1988.
Lakes Wanaka and Hawea are simply majestic.
We hike down paths in temperate rainforests to a number of rushing creeks - Thunder Creek Falls.
We have lunch at Makarora cafe. Another mince/cheese pie for me, though some opt for their venison pie -- I also share an apple pie. The Kiwis love their pies!
We visit an interesting Chinook salmon farm. The original stock in the U.S. is dwindling, so apparently NZ is sending Chinook back to the U.S.
As the bus climbs the three mountains to Franz Josef, we encounter lots of mist, fog, and low clouds. The temperature is dropping.
For dinner at the Franz Josef I have lamb shank and dessert is the NZ national dessert - Pavlova - custard filled meringue with raspberry puree.
Amusing story told to us about Bill Clinton staying at Millbrook. Duck season started and hunters started shooting birds in the hills, which completely startled and panicked the Secret Service. More photos of Millbrook
We're headed towards Franz Josef Glacier this morning, expected to arrive by 6 PM this evening after a long and winding drive through NZ's South Island West Coast. It's an area that draws campers, hikers, and fishermen.
Our driver Dennis (from Christchurch) who's been been driving for 39 years, drives over many one-lane bridges. It's not bad since buses have the right of way and also because it is the end of the busy tourist season and traffic is light.
We stop at Kawarau Suspension Bridge where they have been bungy jumping near by since 1988.
We visit an interesting Chinook salmon farm. The original stock in the U.S. is dwindling, so apparently NZ is sending Chinook back to the U.S.
The beaches of the Tasman Sea reminds me of the California Coast and I am a little bit homesick. (LOTS of biting sandflies in this are - I come prepared with repellent!)
After dinner we hike in the dark to see glow-worms with headlamps. They are similar to lightning bugs, but these are larvae that use light to lure other insects into their threadlike nests of sticky filiment. Sorry, impossible to snap a photo. Here's one I found on the internet -- someone snapped a photo with a special camera. Without the flashlight, all you would see are tiny glowing specks in the overhang. (Photo from jaunted.com)
Tomorrow, hike to the glacier!
Tomorrow, hike to the glacier!
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