Posting by Barb:
We made a stop at the Franz Joseph Glacier and hiked as close as we could to the face of it. A fence and warning signs prevented us from going really close to the unstable face of the glacier. We learned that the glacier is currently in a rapid phase of retreat and this has been attributed to global warming. As we walked along the valley I was awed by the idea that thousands of years ago the valley was engulfed in ice.
We had a memorable lunch after the hike where we had our first introduction to ‘Bangers and Mash’. As you probably guessed it was a hearty meal of mashed potatoes, drenched in gravy with sausages on the side. Weight loss during our South Island journey was not an option!! In Wanaka we stayed at a high end camping resort which included a hot tub and a great TV room where Caroline and I could indulge in some of the ongoing Australian Open Tennis tournament with a fine drink of Scotch.
katie and i will be in Suva, Fiji on Oct 16th just for the day.(8am-5pm) Then heading to Mystery Island, Vanuatu and on to New Caledonia.
Arrive in Ackland Nov 7th. we’ll be there 1 week leaving on Nov 15th.
Looks like you guys are having a great time. thanks for the updates love reading them.
Be safe, Ken