Today will be extremely long driving trip. From Franz Josef - Greymouth - Punakaiki - Motueka that total of 484KM. Need to start journey at 9am to avoid black ice and prevent to reach Motueka after sunset.
Journey to Hokitika
Block by cow in the middle of journey to Hokitika.
West Coast Treetop walk
Turn in to Tree top before reaching Hokitika. Interested to go in and see what available inside.
Today will be Heli Glacier hike day, 1 of the most easiest access glacier in the world. I choose the Glacier Heli Hike from Franz Josef Glacier Guides.
The trip is very dependent on weather, so trip may cancel if bad weather. So must choose the earliest trip, as if cancel, still have chance to have the next available trip later in the day.
My cereal breakfast provided by the hostel.
Franz Josef Glacier Guides office
Franz Josef Glacier Guides office.
walkway to the heli pad.
Location where briefing and get the boot, jacket and pant.
Heli is ready. First on heli, very excited.
The heli pilot. He checking the heli.
My guide, look smart leh.
Heli hike video.
Landed on the glacier, first step on it, only feeling is very very slippy. No way to walk around without crampons. Imagine you walk on ice.
The guide need to smash the ice to reduce the slipperiness. Else no way we can walk around.
A Kai Parrot that plan to steal my guide sandwich lunch. The parrot so intelligent that it know how to open a zipped bag.
The second heli arrival. Max 6 person include pilot per heli.
We start to put on the crampons.
Another group.
Some random ice cave.
Inside a ice cave, the only cave that we allow to go in.
Emergency item on glacier, got food, first aid kit, jacket and etc.
Heli journey back to Franz Josef town
After Heli hike, next activity will be a Quad bike trip.
