28.12.2013 - Franz Josef Glacier / Greymouth

Before leaving to Greymouth, our next stop, we went for the Heli-Hike at Franz Josef. At around two we were
prepared for our glacier hike and got some water proof jackets, boots and trousers. We had to fill out a waiver
asking for all kinds of medical stuff and stating that you are aware that this is potentially a dangerous trip. We
were told to listen to the guide and follow whatever he tells us to do.

Then we were walking across the street towards the airfield where the helicopters were landing and taking
of like in a beehive. Sweating like hell in our gear and waiting for our lift up on the glacier. I had the pleasure
to sit on a window seat on my first helicopter flight which was really nice and gave me a really nice few. The
flight was smooth and interesting even though it was just 15min or so. We were entering the valley of Franz
Josef staying close to the right mountain flank going up to the glacier top taking a turn and then being dropped
of on the glacier. When the helicopter made the turn you really could feel the g-pressure getting more which
was new to me cause normally you don’t feel it when sitting in a plane it was more like sitting in a carousel.

On the glacier we were instructed by our guide how to put on the spikes on our boots and what to do and not
do. He was a funny guy and somehow left the impression he was smoking a bit too much pot from time to time.
It was a really cool feeling standing on top of all that ice knowing that it has been there for a very long time but
still moving/living. We followed the guide and after a few meters it was clear that half of our group was more
interested in causing trouble than listen to what the guid had to say. Particularly one chinese girl was trying
to get herself into trouble climbing up on ice blocks and not listening to the warnings of the guide. I already
saw us standing around a hole in the ice with her in it waiting for a rescue team.

Well none of that happened, instead we meet another group with a bunch of crazy indian guys of which one
was crazy enough to jump into an ice water pool on the glacier. Not the type of bath I’m interested in. He
seemed happy and we certainly had fun watching too. After that we started our walk over the ice and through
little ice cave and tunnels where we had to pull ourselves through the narrow tunnels with a rope. Just
bumped my back once otherwise it was good fun. The weather was quite nice, changing from cloudy and fresh
to sunny and fresh and sometimes there was a really warm wind coming down from the top of the glacier.

After 2-2,5 hours we came back to the landing sight where we were picked up again by the helicopter. This
time the pilot flew straight back to the airfield but with a little goodie, we climbed up to the top of the mountain
on the left of the valley just going a few meters over it and then diving down to the airfield. Really nice!
If you get the chance to do this Heli-Hike, I can definitely recommend it!

We then drove to Greymouth through really nice valleys, passing lakes and all the usual New Zealand crap.
Just to reach Greymouth which was really a weird place, it looked like living here isn’t that much fun and it
actually looked pretty ugly from what I could see. The weather did not help with that impression and the
mold smell in our rooms did neither.

Good to see that even in New Zealand not everything is perfect and beautiful ;)