Franz Josef/Fox Glacier Weather: clear, sunny, mid to high 60's
We woke up around 8 am to prepare for our glacier hike. We made our fancy sandwiches, layered our clothes and headed out to Fox Glacier. We did a half day hike with Fox Glacier Guiding. You can see the glaciers without a guided tour, but the only way to get on the glacier is with a tour guide. The weather was gorgeous for our hike. It was clear & sunny! Our tour guide, Amanda, told us that it rains 200 days of the year. This was the first day she remembered since September that there wasn't a cloud in the sky!
Approaching Fox Glacier 
Steps carved into ice for our climb
Me putting on my crampons
On top of the glacier
Peter & I
Ice shelves
Ice cave
Us in the ice cave
I'm so tough
He's not as tough as I am
View from the glacier
Leaving the glacier. Sunshine in full force
We came back to town, shared a Hokey Pokey Trumpet and then drove to a lookout were we could get a good view of the glacier and surrounding mountains.
From the lookout point
Fox glacier from a distance
We then traveled back to Franz Josef to hike to that glacier! It took longer to actually get to that glacier, but it's a pretty easy walk. It was louder at this glacier. You could hear ice chunks fall of the glacier & slam against the rocks in the glacier run off.
Looking for a 4 leaf clovers on our way to Franz Josef Glacier
Cool rock & tree
Waterfalls
Franz Josef Glacier
Close to the glacier
Cave entrance
Peter likes the glacier
Glacier river
Ice chunks in the river
We came back home & got ready for a night on the town... well, dinner & drinks. We went back to Speight's Landing for happy hour & free wi-fi. Then we looked for a restaurant and wound up eating Indian for the second time during this vacation. After dinner we stopped at the grocery store to buy a bottle of wine & a mini champagne for later.
Right side driver
Me & some kiwis
Beer in plastic 2 liters
I was excited to see the drug section at the New Zealand supermarket. After I took this picture a passerby commented, "Well, that's a nice holiday picture!" I tried to explain that I was a pharmacist, but I think he still thought I was just crazy.
Pharmacy section of the grocery store
We went back to our hotel to drink some wine & visit the little farm next door. I got excited because there were miniature ponies over there! Then I got even more excited to see they had a BABY miniature pony!! It doesn't get much better than that!
Peter & miniature horses
Peter with his mini horse & mini bottle of champagne
Me & a mini horse
Wine & cheese ... he's so refined
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