Greymouth to Franz Josef

The drive from Greymouth to Franz Josef was down Highway 6 which hugs the Tasman Sea until turning through the mountains.  The highway was in good condition.  One thing we discovered was that in rural areas one lane bridges are the norm.  Some of these bridges date back to the first years of the highway and need some work.  Another surprise was the amount of rain that falls in the area.  Some places get over 20 feet of rain per year which is over 10 times that of Kansas City.  It rained some every day we have been in New Zealand.  Fortunately, the rain has not interfered with our plans.  It usually stopped or drizzled when we were outdoors.  Our objective was to see the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers.  They were not very impressive compared to those of Alpine Europe.  We were somewhat disappointed.  These glaciers are significantly less than they were 50 years ago.  What did impress us was the vegetation.  With so much rain, everything is very green and ferns are abundant in the shaded areas.  Moss is found on most trees in the really dense forests.  It was Hobbit Land.

Fox Glacier

"Hobbit Land"

Combination Railroad/Auto Bridge - Trains Have Priority

Waiting for On-coming Traffic to Clear

The Best Bridge of the Day - Substantial and Well-maintained