It was another day spending most of our time in the car. Guess that's the essence of a road trip - pull over wherever you like, take photos at random beautiful places, eat whenever you feel like it...
The Neck.
AttractionsBlue Pool Track
It was a relatively short and easy walk, also the most popular walk where most people will do during the drive to glacier area. We were also lucky enough to see a brave guy doing a jump from the swing bridge into the sparkling emerald water in such a cold weather.
Thunder Creek Falls
It won't take you long to explore this place. The waterfall is highly accessible, with just about 5 mins from the carpark.
Knights Point Lookout (Haast)
Another amazing viewpoint. Unfortunately the weather did not treat us well and the photos turned out to be rather dull. Still an amazing view nonetheless.
And finally welcome to glacier zone! Hoohoo, so excited even though it meant that our trip was coming to an end soon.
Lake Matheson
Famous for its perfect reflection, Lake Matheson is the must-visit place. We were told that the weather was usually more favourable in the early morning as it is less windy and more ideal to create a perfect reflection. However, the weather was still gloomy and the beautiful mountains were blocked by clouds =(
Early morning walk.
Fox Glacier Viewpoint
Franz Josef Glacier Helihike
Please book early to avoid disappointment. This was probably the most expensive tour throughout our trip (449 NZ per person). The departure timing varies with seasons, but it is available all year round. The hike was tiring, but quite manageable even for not-so-fit people. We thought it would be really cold up there and wrapped ourselves with layers of clothes. But the truth was we were sweating so much (direct exposure to sunlight in a summer afternoon)! It will be good to pack some snacks otr light food as you need a lot of energy to conquer the glacier. The whole journey took about 4 hours.
Food
Looking for a quick bite? This is the place for you. We got this as our afternoon snacks during the drive to Franz Josef. Hmm... these whitebaits look very familiar, they are actually our "ikan bilis"!!! But instead of frying them, NZ people love to make them into patty-like omelette.
Recipe for those who are interested to try out at home. Seems easy haha.
Matheson Cafe
Lovely place to enjoy breakfast after a morning walk at Lake Matheson.
Accommodation
One of the cheapest options in Franz Josef but still decent enough. AGAIN, NO PHOTOS as I was too tired.
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