Arrived in Punakaiki after a terrific drive from Franz Josef. Hated leaving our fab hotel, 58 on Cron, but we wanted to get just a bit farther north before heading inland to Christchurch.

Here’s a few pics from our trip out to the glacier. This glacier was about 3 kms further down the mountain 250 years ago so it’s receding quite a bit, and quite quickly. It’s receding even more thanks to global warming and that’s sad because it’s truly a wonder to behold.

Even though it’s surrounded by fern forest and waterfalls, the temperature as you approach the glacier is really chilly. One couple, from near Delhi in India, were swaddled like they were going to mount Everest so they took it a bit far, but I’m damned glad I wore layers and a water repellent jacket.

You don’t really get to get close to the glacier unless you’ve got a few hundred bucks burning a hole in your pocket. For a small fortune,  you can take a helicopter tour or the even more pricey helicopter tour with guided walk on the glacier. On the path we were passed by about 20 Aussies and Asians dressed in tour-company issues climbing gear, yet another way to experience the glacier and kiss about $500 bucks goodbye all at once.

In Franz Josef there was a big tour-company/souvenir shop named Alpine Adventure Centre and that pretty much sums up FJ.  Heli tours, dangerous hikes, even an indoor ice-climbing centre scream that this place caters to people with lots of cash and a thrill addiction. Jet boats to soak you literally and figuratively speaking, overpriced trail rides, kayaking, etc – FZ is not for couch ‘taters and layabouts. Of course that didn’t stop mum and I from enjoying quiet breakfasts of quiche and espresso then hanging out in ways guaranteed to ensure a natural death at a ripe age. We loafed and loved it.

With respect to the glacier, as I said they don’t want you getting too close. To reinforce this point, in the public toilet in the glacier parking lot there are myriad warnings about the horrors of crossing the barrier. To reinforce that, there’s an enlarged copy of a headline screaming ‘Tourist killed in glacier collapse’ or something like that. And just in case you forget that this glacier is not a safe playground for idle trust-fund snowflakes seeking an adrenaline rush, there is a sign right in front of the glacier that needs no translation. “Here are four ways to die!” it screams via illustrated potential demise. “Dumbass! Stay behind the barrier! Yes, YOU!”.

It rained yesterday and was still raining today. It’s not hard rain like you get in Saskatchewan. Sometimes it’s just really moist air. Sometimes it’s drizzle. Once or twice it was rain-rain but at no time was I jumpy on the drive. The drive was a treat and, as with other drives, we got to enjoy a whole new forest type every 50 kms or so.

Punakaiki isn’t much of a town. Most tourist blow past it on their way north to Nelson and other points north. What a shame. It’s pretty interesting. It’s got an insanely cool giftshop with some of the best crafts and apparel I’ve seen yet and lots of funky little eateries. Some of the towns you pass through could be mistaken for any random farming community in Alberta and Greymouth, just south of here, bears a creepy resemblance to Sudbury Ontario circa 1909 (only smaller). Punakaiki is under rated as a destination and more people need to come here for more than a nature walk and an ice-cream before hitting the road again.

People mainly come here to see two things (apart from the really awesome forest and coast): blowholes and pancake rock. The blowholes only happen when the tide comes in, or goes out, but since the tide comes in after dark and then in the a.m. seconds before sunrise I doubt we’ll see it. The pancake rocks are interesting formations near the blowholes. The rock cliffs are in strange layers that look like, well, an almighty stack of pancakes. The national park housing their sites is, like every other national park, very accessible with gorgeous paths and unspeakable natural beauty. NZ does parks so well the country should hire itself out as an international park design consultant.

Here’s what Franz Josef looked like this morning when we left. Hey, rain is normal in a rain forest, right? That’s why it’s so nice and lush. As an added bonus, the skies were dead quiet for two of our three days in FJ because helicopters don’t go up in pea-soup thick fog for safety reasons.

Our new hotel in Punakaiki is an honest to goodness resort but we scored a room for $120 nz (about 90 cdn) which must be a winter rate. The room is only one large room with two huge beds, a nice TV, a fridge, a kettle and a really excellent bathroom, but it’s a steal at $120. Other places, some with nicer and/or bigger rooms and some that I wouldn’t keep a dog I didn’t like in, wanted up to $190. Also, it’s right on the beach. Sure, swimming is banned because the surf is violent and the beach treacherous, but the view is lovely and there’s lots of interesting rocks and shells that will make dandy souvenirs.

Okay, going to watch Ghost Town on the movie channel now. Over and out until tomorrow.