Saturday: Fox Glacier, Harihari, Ross Green Jade, Hokitika, Greymouth

(It's May 21st here in NZ and right now, it is 2 hours to midnight, so I don't think we need to worry about the end of the world.)

We leave the Franz Josef Hotel. (The glacier was named after the Austrian emperor who was so delighted with the naming, he reciprocated by introducing predatory Austrian animals like the fox that destroyed the local environment... oops)

Anyway, today's another gorgeous day! After a short hike through a lush fern grotto, we hike 1.5 miles along the Fox Glacier riverbed to the glacier itself. Our guide Mike explains the makings of a glacier and that the run-off is probably from snow that fell over 7 years ago.

There are waterfalls on the cliffs overlooking the rocky floorbed.

We're again driving along the West Coast along the Tasman Sea. The area is not as lush as the farm and dairy areas we've previously seen, but the area is beautiful and at this time of year, the land is wet and green. Sue, our guide, says many in this area have a hard time making ends meet and therefore sell craftwork to supplement their income.

We have lunch in Harihari. I have a vegetable and Feta quiche. We stop at a craft consignment shop run by a Dutch woman who married a Kiwi, Mrs. Martini.

Sue heard the jade (pounamu) artist Steve Maitland discussing his work on the radio and we are visiting his studio in Ross this afternoon. How about a $6000 (U.S$4800) "tree of life" jade necklace?

Here's a one-lane bridge that is shared with cars and a train!!

These towns along the West Coast swelled in population during their gold rush in the early 1860s. Now they are a fraction of that size. Hokitika is a colorful town with many jade stores, but it is Saturday afternoon and most stores are closed.

We finally arrive in Greymouth where we will spend 2 nights. Before dinner, I soak in the spa... it feels wonderful after all the hiking and sitting on the bus the last couple of days. For dinner, I have a delicious pumpkin soup (bowl had a WIDE brim) and baked turbot with a red and green pepper sauce (peppernade), also a nice NZ Pinot Noir. Mmm-mm!