Archives June 2018

Probably the most beautiful photo we took was the reflection of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman off of Lake Matheson.  We drove about an hour from Fox Glacier and first had breakfast at a fantastic café overlooking the mountains.  After bundling up, we started our hike through the woods to get to Reflection Island where the money shot was.  Aiden was cooperative for a while but then I had to carry him on my shoulders and Sona also carried him part of the time.  We walked almost an hour around the lake before finally finding the spot.  The view was spectacular and the reflection of the mountains was quite clear as well as the surrounding trees.  I should’ve waited a little bit longer to take the picture since there were ripples from a duck family going across but still absolutely worth it.

After we rented our RAV 4 (nice ride by the way) in Greymouth, we drove straight to Franz Josef area to check in to our hotel.  The drive down there was rainy and we were hoping to get there with no road closings.  Fortunately, we made it and checked into a cozy hotel with an electric fireplace and short drive to the town center.  That evening we ordered room service and unpacked our clothes.

The next day was sunny and after debating during breakfast, we decided to do a helicopter ride over the glaciers.  Aiden even enjoyed it and we landed on top of Fox Glacier where we had a snowball fight and took in some breathtaking views.  The chopper ride was for 30 minutes and it was a memorable experience.  After lunch, we did the hike to Franz Josef holding Aiden most of the time on my shoulders.  The hike took almost 2 hours round trip and the views were okay.  The glacier is receding so it doesn’t look as great as let’s say 10 years ago.

We found a café to eat afterwards and then took it easy at the hotel.  The next leg of our journey was the drive to Te Anau!

We started this journey in Christchurch.  Flew in from Wellington the night before to get some rest before the early morning train ride to Greymouth.  Enjoyed the amazing breakfast at the Rydges that morning and then took a taxi to the train station.  It wasn’t that crowded and our seats were at a table.  Windows all around so amazing views throughout of the Southern Alps and surrounding countryside.  An hour into our trip, we all got coffees and bought Aiden a fluffy.  He came with me to the café area to help carry the beverages.  I went outside a few times in the open carriage to take pictures of the Alps.  It was definitely a great experience and highly recommend to anyone wanting to see breathtaking scenery.