Day Thirty Four Franz Josef to Fox Glacier Township

So the rain dance worked! Pouring rain last night from about 5.30pm onwards. So heavy that the Happy Hour plan was abandoned! Stayed in and played cards! 

Dry morning and sun trying to come out. Clouds really low over the village and the glacier was visible briefly from our base. 

We wanted to go to see the next glacier, Fox glacier which is only a 30 minute drive south. Decided to use this as a kind of chill out day and not drive too far. After some domestic duties - emptying various storage tanks - we were on our way. Terrain still rainforest, up one mountain side and down the other with lots of scary hairpin bends for 'the beast' to cope with. Rain threatening and 14 degrees most of the way. Stopped for a walk round Lake Matheson, 6 km from the town. It's one of the top ten reflective lakes in the world. Used for chocolate box photos, according to tourist radio. Nice easy walk of about 4km. Unfortunately because of the wind and rain the water wasn't very still, so very little reflections and the low cloud meant Mt Cook and Mt Tasman weren't visible. However, photos taken in the opposite direction gave us the idea of what we were missing. 

Pit stop in the van then we drove on to the start of the walk up to the Fox glacier. Not such a long walk in this time but a steep climb at the end with signs all the way up saying 'No stopping'! 

Very impressive landscape. Big, big rocks (not the geological term) and fast water running down either side. 

First van in the photo on the right is 'the beast' - could be seen from the end of the valley! Also parked in the wrong place, where the buses should park!

Walk quite busy again. Took about 30 minutes to reach as far as you were allowed to go. 

Close ups of some of the ice. 

Hard to get an idea of the scale of it all especially as the mountain top is shrouded in cloud. 

Not much difference between last night's shot!  Rain held off all day, found a Campervan place in middle of town and settled in for the late afternoon and evening. The site has a laundry so will have clean clothes tomorrow. Woohoo! 

Now to find Happy Hour but maybe need to find a pub first! 12600 steps today!  Tired shins!

Good as, bro!