Franz Josef Glacier New Zealand

Franz Josef Glacier is one of the major attractions on the West coast of the New Zealand south Island. The day before this photo was taken, I was on a sea-kayak in the Abel Tasman National Park near Nelson, so the change in climate was pretty dramatic.

I tend to have a lot of luck when traveling. The day I went to Franz Joseph however stands out as a particularly lucky day. Not only was it sunny (the area receives 5-8 meters of rainfall a year), but more importantly I didn't die. While that sounds a little bit melodramatic, I'm not exaggerating in saying I came very close to falling off the face of the glacier when taking a bathroom break around lunch-time. I'd gone away from the main group with the glacier guide - having done my business I was heading back to the main group, lost my footing and was heading for a very big drop. The guide stepped in, and basically stopped my momentum with something akin to a rugby tackle. So yes... this man saved my life!

Image taken with an Olympus E500 & 11-22mm f2.8 lens.

Tips for Franz Joseph Glacier

• You need a guide to go up the face of the glacier
• Climbing a glacier is an unforgettable experience, and highly recommended.
• Cost of climbing the glacier is NZ$160 for a full day. While this is quite a big expense, its worth every bit (and is in NZ$ so is less than it sounds + discounts are available such as for YHA members).
• There are cheaper 1/2 day options, but I think its worth the extra to get up into the nice blue ice that you can see in the photos.
• Be careful...especially when going to the toilet!

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