Likey Hikey (Heli Style)

So I've been sauntering up the west coast from Wanaka and now I'm in Hokitika. It's been sweltering recently with the last few days hitting well over 30 deg C in the shade. It's been so hot that I've even had to forego bare feet and get my jandals (flip flops) on, because the pavements and roads have been too hot to walk on. I'm not complaining mind you, the west coast is usually the wettest part of NZ with only a few sunny, dry days per year.
So what do you do when it's this hot? Obviously you jump on a helicopter and get out hiking on a glacier! Sweet as . . . (as the kiwi's say). A very, very odd experience, but well worth doing. I chose to grace the Fox glacier with my presence, since it is the less visited of the two main glaciers. The helicopter ride up was excellent, with lots of tight banking turns and close up views of waterfalls. The so called helipad on the glacier was just a small fairly flat area of ice - interesting. So anyway, on with the crampons and away we went for three hours ambling around on a huge flow of ice, which is currently travelling down the valley at a rate of 1 metre per day, with lush rain forest covering the valley sides all around us and views out to the deep blue Tasman sea, only a few kilometres away. Nice and cool up there, but still t-shirt and shorts weather!
Tomorrow I will head off again, still heading north, but haven't decided on my next destination yet. I can leave that decision until the tent is packed away and the rucksack is full.
More photos will appear when I find an internet cafe (although I'm currently in a camping/fishing shop) where I can connect up my camera and download the necessary software.
Take it easy and I'll be back before long.