Franz Josef Glacier / Waiau: The TouriHeliQuadHotSpot in the NZ Alps

Honestly? I do not like it! Franz Josef Waiau below the glacier actually has only one purpose - to sell helicopter sightseeing flights with landing on the glacier, or a quad tour. There are hardly any locals here, but there are a lot of hotels, motels and backpacker accommodations as well as campsites. Not to mention at least 8 or 9 helicopter flight sales shops...on a street no longer than 200m. This reminds me a bit of the Turkish "travel agencies" in the bazaar in Side or Manavgat. It's a shame, I actually want to leave here again.

The drive here was nice, first we passed an old gold mine in Roos - early in the morning, not a soul except an old man with an even older dog - he was really nice and showed us the best photo spot for the picture of the small lake below the old mine. I briefly went into the Gaol or Jail and squeezed my fat head first into the pillory and then into the gold digger's photo opportunity hole... it was probably intended more for kiddos... the marks and bruises on my face slowly disappeared again... and on we went it.

Coffee break in Hari Hari. We parked the Ford, folded down the truck bed and drank our coffee coffee in the warming rays of sunshine. And quite funny as I am, the following saying to the child: "Get the car, car, Hari Hari" - he didn't understand...I cringed!

In Franz Josef Waiau we did a short hike to the glacier bed, the glacier itself was still about 2 to 3 kilometers away and not accessible via the river bed. In recent years, the glacier has retreated more and more into the mountain range. Originally, the Fanz Josef Glacier and the neighboring Fox Glacier both calved directly into Tasman Bay.

Windshield wiper instead of indicator counter: 94

coming soon

PIDISI