DAY NINETEEN. -- ELEVENTH  SEPTEMBER --GREYMOUTH TO NEAR FRANZ JOSEPH

We left Greymouth and travelled along  Highway 6. Winding roads, spectacular scenery and single lane at some points (especially the bridges) They have giveway signs one way. 

Every now and then when something catches his eye Gary pulls over, we hop out and click, click with our cameras and iPhones. The iPhone photos are very good but the enlarged camera photos are the best. You can get in much closer too with a telescopic lens...worth lugging the camera around as it is quite heavy of course compared to the iPhone. I find myself using both but scenery I like the camera best. I have missed taking photos on my camera during Covid.

We stopped at Franz Joseph expecting a much bigger town. Although there is a supermarket there and one cafe open most of the buildings house helicopter or plane flight adventures.

We had lunch outside because we had bought sandwiches and cake earlier but Henry got us coffee at the cafe to takeaway.

We went up to a point where a 30 minute fairly steep walk took us to a platform to view the glacier. Most waterfalls were dry and anyone denying climate change should only look at where the foot of the glacier now is. But it was a beautiful walk and the forest is lovely.

We bought food for dinner (to cook) and then back to our "Barn". It is luxurious and well appointed. The lady who runs it told us her husband had died in a plane crash in the mountains a couple of weeks ago. sad as I read an article and he was a stalwart in this community. I'm sure running this whole property is going to be a challenge for her.

Henry set a beautiful fire and after dinner a sit by the fire will be lovely.