12/19/2017: Our trip to the eternal ice

Today we leave Wanaka and head to the West Coast. On the way to our first official stop, we stop at designated viewpoints overlooking the deep blue Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka, but the strong wind keeps blowing us back into the car.

Then we reach the parking lot for the Blue Pools - a highlight along the Haast Highway that Eric shouldn't miss. Despite the rain, the pools have not lost any of their beautiful, bright turquoise appearance and make for a great photo opportunity. The short walk there, lined with moss-covered trees, also prepares the visitor for this rainy region of New Zealand.

The further we venture into the West Coast, the worse the weather gets - typical West Coast weather. Therefore, Eric decides to skip the Thunder and Fantail Falls, which I already know, even though they are only a 5-minute walk from the parking lot. But we still have two other falls to visit today. When we reach the parking lot for the 'Roaring Billy Falls', it is pouring with rain. Eric seeks shelter in a hollowed-out tree at the beginning of the track for a quick photo moment. From here, the rain makes us move quickly and after a 10-minute brisk walk, we reach the waterfall - nice, obligatory photo, and back to the car.

We initially drive past the Depot Creek Falls because they are not signposted - they are not even marked on Google Maps. When we finally spot the crucial sign, we have already passed them and it takes a while for me to find a place to turn around. The track is hidden and not well maintained, but we don't have to go far through the bush. The waterfall can be clearly heard from the car park and only a few steps separate us from the splashing spray. It is quite impressive, although the yellowish color of the water in some places is not very appealing.

Next on my list is the Monroe Beach Walk, but we decide to skip it spontaneously. The rare Fiordland Crested Penguin nests here, but the sign indicates that the breeding season is from July to the end of November, they only come to the beach after 3:00 p.m. (we are early), and only very few individuals have survived the constant disturbances by humans. It may still have been worth it, because next to us a bus parks and unloads a group of tourists - I will never know. However, we still have quite a distance to cover today. We quickly say 'hello' to the pigs behind the fence, one of them even sniffs my hand when I reach out to it. It's a funny feeling.

When we arrive at Fox Glacier Village, the weather looks promising, so I spontaneously drive to the parking lot for the Fox Glacier viewpoint. We set off quite unprepared - only equipped with a camera - because I remember a short walk. It is indeed only 2.6 km, but we probably should have taken off our rain gear and maybe brought something to drink. Well, it works like this too, but we quickly get very warm in our rain gear. According to my blog, during my previous visit, I got as close as 700 m to the glacier, today it is 450 m, but when you compare the pictures, it still gives the impression that I was closer in 2013. The information boards, however, make it clear how alarmingly fast the glacier is melting.

Our hostel in Franz Josef Village, which we reach around 6:00 p.m. after driving 294 kilometers, offers the following free services for its guests: breakfast from 7:30-9:00 a.m., vegetable soup from 6:00 p.m., a popcorn machine available to everyone, spa pool, and unlimited Wi-Fi. It's a shame that it can't guarantee quiet roommates. The two American girls in our room are very nice, but one snores so loudly that Eric can't sleep all night, and we need our energy for tomorrow. At some point during the night, he shakes me awake - allegedly because I was sleepwalking, but maybe he just needed a fellow sufferer. No matter how deeply I bury the earplugs in my ears from that point on, the snoring still penetrates. How can a young woman make such noises?! I might as well sleep on a construction site.