September 27 Queenstown - Franz Josef

Wake up. We are leaving Queenstown. On the way out we get 'stuck' in traffic. There has been a landslide up ahead so crew are clearing the roads and causing a bit of a queue. It's okay cos they are handing out sweets to help kill the time - all 10 mins of it. What a great country!!We are off to Franz Josef. It' is a 7.5 hour journey. I am actually sick and feeling really unwell with a cold. On the way stop off at Fox Glacier. Take the tourist photo and continue to FJ which is only the next town away.


STUCK IN TRAFFIC - NZ STYLE


The only reason to go to FJ is to see the glacier. What is a glacier? It is a big whopping huge chunk of ice. We plan to hike the big block of ice.

Get to our hostel and they inform us that there is a free glowworm tour. When it get dark we get taken into the woods, by some crazy Kiwi and he shows us the glowworms. We have some really dumb tourists on this tour who think they can photograph the glowworms with their flash on. DUH!!! The glowworms are cool though.

Get taken to the pub afterwards for free shots, but I am feeling unwell so head back to the hostel to 'die'.

WHAT IS A GLOWWORM?

NZ glowworms (titiwae) are actually the larvae of small flies called fungus gnats that go through a four part life cycle: egg, larvae, pupae and adult fly. The larvae produces a brilliant internal glow through chemical luciferin in its digestive system (it's arse). Insects are attracted to it and get caught up in the silky silk threads that hang from the glowworm nests. The 'fishing lines' are then hauled in and the captured insects devoured.