Day 3 - Fox Glacier Heli-hiking

Exploring Day 3



Today we are going for an adventurous activities where what everyone doing when come to Fox Glacier --- Experience the walks on the Glacier!

You will find several guiding company located alongside the main road. The Fox Glacier Guiding company which we chosen offer a full range of hiking tours and ice adventures to suit all fitness levels. We chosen a tour package that required moderate fitness yet adventurous, and the important part is that we got the opportunities to experienced the helicopter riding up to the glacier. The fly-in, fly-out Heli-Hike combines the excitement of walking on the Fox Glacier with the thrill of helicopter flights. By flying in, we are able to access and explore a part of the glacier where its forces work hardest and often create spectacular ice caves and arches.

Equipped with sturdy leather boots and other equipment, we boarded the helicopter for our first flight over the pinnacles of the lower icefall.

The "white" mountain" is where we are going to

River gravel view from helicopter

Fox Glacier



The lower icefall. Here, the ice is in constant motion.



after a 10 mins ride, we landed the starting point. The landing site on the ice is a remote and exceptionally beautiful part of the glacier. Our guide outfits us with crampons, specially designed for these ice conditions and we started to follow the ice steps cut by our guide as we explore the amazing ice formations...

Lady guide from USA cut the ice steps for the group to step on safely. The total on ice time is 2.5hr.

Amazing ice formation, some form ice arches, some form caves.
Can't descript in word, so, just let the photos talk...























Click the link below to know more about Fox Glacier.
Fox Glacier Fact: http://www.foxguides.co.nz/facts.asp

Day 2 : Christchurch - Arthur Pass - Hokitika - Fox Glacier

Exploring Day 2

Wake up and have self-cook breakfast at Stonehurst Accommodation, we collected our pre-book car from ACE car rental. After some food and grocery shopping at Park-n-Save (the town's lowest price supermarket) we leave Christchurch by 10.30am.

The State Highway 73 links the Canterbury, pass through Arthur Pass, to West Cost regions. This magnificent alpine park (Arthur Pass) straddles the Southern Alps. This Alps have a marvelous scenic during the winder time, but unfortunately we came in the hot summer day...

On the way to Arthur Pass

After 5hr drive, we reach a small town called Hokitika where it located at the west coast of South Island, west of Southern Alps. This small town are famous with Jade/greenstone. Carving pounamu (Jade) has been the basis for the development of a strong arts & crafts movement in Hokitika. We can see a big Jade factory on the main road side where we can watch and interact with their skilled team of master carvers in the adjacent studio.

Hokitika Town

Jade Factory

Hokitika Beach

Finally, and tiredly, we arrived Fox Glacier village by 8pm. The sky was still bright at 8pm, bcos of summer, sunset normally started at 8.50pm. Today has a long hour drive, both of us already burned out of energy and excitement to explore the town...

Fox Glacier Village at 9pm

Dinner at Cook Saddle Cafe

Day 3 to be cont.

New Zealand - KUL-SIN-Christchurch (Day1)

Hi, everybody, finally we are back. It's was fantastic holiday in NZ south island, we still miss every single things over there besides the big hot sun. No doubt this breath-taking holiday was given us a great opportunity to release our stress and frustrationat at work, our dizzyness for crowded traffic and some desireness for the so called heaven-in-the-earth.... opps!

5/2/08 we transited at Changi airport terminal 3, this new terminal so new and it is so high tech compare to our lovely KLIA. After the long haul 10hr flying with SIA, we arrived at Christchurch airport at 10am 6/2/08.

Before posting the picture, let's have little introduction about this lovely contry.....

New Zealand is the youngest country on earth - the last major landmass to be discovered. It has a rich and fascinating history, reflecting both Maori and European heritage. Amazing Maori historic sites and taonga (treasures), some dating back almost a thousand years, are a contrast to many beautiful colonial buildings.
An 1840 treaty between Maori and the British Crown is New Zealand’s founding document. Today, the Treaty of Waitangi has a major impact on all New Zealanders. Only a thousand years ago, Maori became the first people to migrate to New Zealand. Since then, people have come from around the world to settle here.
New Zealand's spectacularly beautiful landscape includes vast mountain chains, steaming volcanoes, sweeping coastlines, deeply indented fiords and lush rainforests. Comparable in size and/or shape to Great Britain, Colorado or Japan, New Zealand has a population of only 4 million - making it one of the world's least crowded countries.

It is a haven for those seeking peace, rejuvenation and relaxation as well as a playground for thrill seekers and adventurers. A temperate climate with relatively small seasonal variation makes it an ideal year-round holiday destination.

With vast open spaces filled with stunning rugged landscapes, gorgeous beaches, often spectacular geothermal and volcanic activity, a temperate climate and fascinating animal and plant life, and it is no surprise that New Zealand’s pure natural environment is so attractive to visitors from other countries. And the great advantage of New Zealand is there are many different landscapes, environments, and ecosystems so close to each other.
(source: http://www.newzealand.com/)

Exploring Day 1

We explore around the city after settle down our luggage in Stonehurst Accomodation. Christchurch is the South Island’s largest city, and is an entertaining mixture of refined lifestyle and cultural excitement. The tranquil Avon River meanders through the city, historic buildings house a lively arts community and restored trams make it easy for visitors to get around.

(Cathedral Square is the city centre of Christchurch)

Inverted cone alongside Cathedral Square

Avon River

Christchurch City and Tram