My new home town

A few pictures of Fox Glacier township

A collection of photos of my work place in Fox Glacier

 In case you were interested...

Perks of the job – just your everyday helicopter ride onto a glacier

In my first week of training for my job at Fox Glacier Guiding there came the sentence 'so we'll get you up on the glacier this week on a heli hike.' Just casually, like it wasn't a big deal. Of course it's not a big deal when your very busy and popular business relies on seasonal staff to know and sell your products well; but I'm just sitting there going, 'I'm sorry, what now? Seriously?!' I don't think it had sunk in throughout the interview process that not only do I get to go in a helicopter, onto a glacier, for a guided tour, as a matter of course; but I also get PAID to do it! Woohoo!!

Gillespies Beach and the View of Views

One of my first days off in Fox Glacier was an absolute stunner of a day - deep blue sky, not a cloud to be seen, or the smallest puff of wind; it was made for exploring. It'd been a pretty rainy week so I was super keen to get out and check out some gorgeous scenery. The local beach, Gillespies,' is only a half hour drive away over a hill on a small, twisty gravel road, and damn is it worth it!

Introducing Fox Glacier

My new home is in a tiny little town on the south west coast of the South Island, famous for the massive glacier next to it. It's very similar to the town half an hour's drive north called Franz Josef, which is also right next to a glacier. These two glaciers are very special and unique as they are both among the only glaciers in the world to end among rainforest, at only 300m above sea level. This also makes them among the most accessible and are major tourist attractions.

I'm home, it's good, but I'm away travelling again already

I've been back in New Zealand for over three months now, and it was completely bizarre how easily I fit straight back in as if I hadn't just been living on the other side of the world for nearly three years. Living back at my parents' place, catching rides in and out of the city, trawling through the job ads on Trademe, and going out to dinner with my friends. 

It's good to be back; good to spend a decent amount of time with everyone again; good to not have to worry about visas; good to be able to have access to a car and drive anywhere again. It's good to be able to say things like 'tiki tour,' 'jandals,' 'kumara,' 'ten' and 'pen'* again; and good to eat Whittakers chocolate and Tip Top boysenberry ice cream any time I want.

Hanging with these cuties while at home was a pretty good bonus