On the road to the glaciers

Tuesday 26th February

Set out today to travel further south towards Fjordland; on the way are 2 glaciers, Fox's and Franz Joseph (somebody should change its name to something less Austro-Hungarian emperor and imperial, I think). (Although both have a common thread: Mint Imperials and Fox's Glacier Mints ... Time to get my coat again, perhaps... S.)




On the road were two extraordinary things: the first was having to share a bridge with the railway line

and the second was someone moving house. Literally. (Would this become a more common sight in the UK if the craven coalition introduced a mansion tax, I wonder? Not sure about that but it's a fair bet that my coat is ready for collection ...)

 

As there's only one main road to Fjordland, we encountered the moving house for a second time later on during the day. Its support vehicle has a sign on top: HOUSE FOLLOWS. You couldn't make it up.




Quick walk up to the dirty snout of the glacier. 'Elf'n'safety kept us a considerable distance from anything remotely interesting but we've now been there and dunnit with the possibility of another glacier tomorrow as we drive down past the Fox Glacier en route to Wanaka...

Decided to skate on past Fox Glacier and head on down towards Wanaka. An early morning stop off and shortish walk took us round a scenic lake which was a bit dull (Karen compared it to walking around Rufford Country Park with 'er mum (I wasn't quite sure how to take that!). It was very photogenic, however, with Mounts Cook and Tasman reflected in the lake's waters ...

We were both feeling a bit underwhelmed at this point (yes, we know it's very beautiful...) and wondered whether halfwaythroughtheholidayennui had set in ... Another view, another well-tended path replete with well-upholstered tourists and coffee shops ... Some truth in all of that but ...

 

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