Is there a puma in that crevice?

So...I woke up this morning a little early - I didn't want to be late for my hike on the Franz Josef Glacier...(I got there at 7:35 a.m. - didn't have to be there till 8:15 a.m.- hee).

I decided to wear shorts because I know me. I get warm when I hike...I had four layers for my top half - so I knew I would be okay. They gave me another rain jacket(which I used to sit on during our lunch break) and heavy rain pants(that stayed in my back pack.

This glacier is one of three around the world - that exists near a rain forest. The second one is the Fox Glacier about 12 miles South from here and the third one is in the Patagonia. Amazing.

I was in a group of 10 including our guide. We had to hike for about 2 kilometers and then put our crampons on and hike another 1 1/2 kilo's on loose rock and ice before we were only on ice. The group I was with was a lot of fun...willing to try things but many of them had never really hiked at all before.

I LOVED IT! It was like a giant jungle gym in ice. You all would have been so proud of the climbs and jumps and things I had to get through. I sliced my leg at one point - when I had to jump over a crevice and tried to take our guide down - he was helping me. Whoops.

By the way - there are no puma's in these crevices.

Exhilerating...I love that I hiked for the entire day and could have just kept going. I love that I have this experience.

I also met two different guys to speak German with - one from Germany and one from Switzerland. Thomas is from Switzerland - told me he was trying to do all the things here that he couldn't do back home. Like he won't be bungy jumping(which is HUGE in New Zealand) because he could do that back in Switzerland. Interesting point. It was fun talking with them.

I came back to the hostel and showered. Spent about an hour just to get that one picture up on Facebook - but notice I figured out how to get them off of my phone! I only have my phone to use for pictures on this trip - I currently don't have a camera...so I've been planning on using a disposable camera but the phone takes fantastic pictures! I can't wait to put them all on here.

Then I went down to a restaurant and sat by myself at a table in the corner where I could watch all the other people. I enjoyed a pizza and they have pavlova for dessert(mmmmm...).

I still don't know what I am going to do the last 4 days in New Zealand, probably spend too much time driving. But I think I am going to head a bit further south to see what I can.

Will let you know tomorrow!

Hey - I will be back in Pensacola in a week!