Thurs., March 3rd - Wanaka to Franz Josef

So blessed with great weather!

 

 

We drove through some amazing countryside through Aspiring National Park.

Neither one of us realized how much JUNGLE and FOREST there is on the South Island.

And pictures just do not do any of it justice ~ countless waterfalls!

 

Thunder Falls

The drive from Wanaka to Franz Josef is really winding and slow.  It took us almost 4 hours, but breathtakingly beautiful.  Dennis LOVES to pass people because he can't stand to follow anyone ~ and yes ... it can be quite nerve racking for me.  All that passing makes HIM hungry!



We split a yummy toastie and fries for lunch at Hard Antler Café in Haaste.
My man DOES LOVE his sauces.

 

In the 9 days we've been here, Dennis has driven over 1,500 kilometers ... that's about 930 miles. 

Oh wait ... I drove about 25 kilometers the other day.

 

And no joke ... he has passed other vehicles at LEAST 250 times... exceeding 150 k per hour! 

 

 We stopped at a beach on the Tasman Sea because I wanted to touch the water.  Maybe not the best idea .... TONS OF SAND FLEAS!  Thank God for Benadryl as I swelled up with many welts, especially on my hands.  But look at the weather .... with all of the rain they've had here we feel very blessed to see blue sky.

 

 

 

We finally arrived in Franz Josef in the late afternoon.  SO HAPPY to be safe and checked into our BEAUTIFUL hotel room with a view of the glacier (NOT this day).  NO view of the glacier so we strolled around the cute, little town.  We thought this sign was SO apropos!  More updates tomorrow.