Friends and Family,
Weather: Rainy and partly sunny. High around 63 degrees.
I am sorry I haven't been able to keep up on the blogs lately. We have been on the road traveling on the west coast of New Zealand. Tonight we are staying in backpackers accommodations in the town of Franz Josef. The town is just down the mountain from the famous Franz Josef glacier.
Today our study abroad group climbed the Franz Josef glacier. The amount of ice in the glacier was amazing! Pictures hardly do the experience justice. To climb the glacier we were each outfitted with rain jackets, boots, and genuine crampons. The weather started out warm and clear, but turned cloudy and misty later in the expedition. The hike from the entry trail to the mouth of the glacier was 2.6 kilometers and the entire hike was approximately 3 hours in length. The glacial ice was even more blue than I had anticipated and the "ice trail" provided some interesting moments of maneuvering and climbing techniques. No worries, I did make it back down the mountain safely.
For supper I ate a pizza at the Blue Ice Bar and Grill in Franz Josef. Their were not many options, but this proved to be an excellent choice. I haven't had pizza since arriving in New Zealand and this hit the spot. Tomorrow morning we are leaving at 8 a.m. for Queenstown.
I will try to blog again soon, depending on internet availability.
Matt
Weather: Rainy and partly sunny. High around 63 degrees.
I am sorry I haven't been able to keep up on the blogs lately. We have been on the road traveling on the west coast of New Zealand. Tonight we are staying in backpackers accommodations in the town of Franz Josef. The town is just down the mountain from the famous Franz Josef glacier.
Today our study abroad group climbed the Franz Josef glacier. The amount of ice in the glacier was amazing! Pictures hardly do the experience justice. To climb the glacier we were each outfitted with rain jackets, boots, and genuine crampons. The weather started out warm and clear, but turned cloudy and misty later in the expedition. The hike from the entry trail to the mouth of the glacier was 2.6 kilometers and the entire hike was approximately 3 hours in length. The glacial ice was even more blue than I had anticipated and the "ice trail" provided some interesting moments of maneuvering and climbing techniques. No worries, I did make it back down the mountain safely.
For supper I ate a pizza at the Blue Ice Bar and Grill in Franz Josef. Their were not many options, but this proved to be an excellent choice. I haven't had pizza since arriving in New Zealand and this hit the spot. Tomorrow morning we are leaving at 8 a.m. for Queenstown.
I will try to blog again soon, depending on internet availability.
Matt
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