Hong Kong

What to do in Hong Kong for a day? Well there’s the famous ‘Festival of Light’ show in the harbour at eight each evening but for the day? One thing that impresses about Hong Kong is height, there is little space and what they do have they make the most of. There are Colossal buildings rising up from the waters edge. Looking further there’s Victoria peak that overlooks the whole city. It’s a hill to climb so our destination was set. Thankfully the initial climb is taking care of with a cable tram to the complex half way up. This offers some good views of the city and houses Madame Tussards but out the back is the start of the governor’s walk to the peak. That evening we took the Star Ferry over to Kowloon for a quick trip through the technology markets, market stalls selling a whole range of electronics goods from museum pieces to the latest high tech gadgets. Our evening meal was authentically oriental, including a thing which we hope was a sea vegetable, but looked worryingly like the entrails that were simmering in a pot at the entrance to the restaurant. After the meal we headed back to the harbour for the festival of light. The story goes that a number of business in Hong Kong were competing with more and more elaborate night time decoration for their sky scrapers so the government stepped in. The result is the largest sound and light show on earth. The majority of the major landmarks around the harbour have all been covered in various lighting to take part in a coordinated show viewed from across the water.

Torture

Back in Christchurch this was the day that had been dreaded, the shopping day. We had a morning to fill before catching our flight to Hong Kong. In addition to the usual souvenirs we were charged with finding a particular pair of sheepskin slippers and a native Maori nativity set. Thankfully there was some entertainment to be had from ascending the steps of the cathedral tower and a trip round the sights on the city’s traditional tram. We found the slippers but failed on the nativity despite visiting a few arts and crafts shops. We arrived in Hong Kong airport and got off the plane through the standard air tunnel, walked through departures and onto a shuttle train to the main airport. A second shuttle train took us to the shopping complex that housed our hotel. We did not have to go outside once. This was a theme that could have been continued the following day.

There was Gold in these hills

Today we had to get back to Christchurch from Fox Glacier, another marathon drive. We were hoping to break the journey at Mount Cook for a look round there and because it was a driving day of course it was raining. By the time we got to Mount Cook (at least we assumed we were there the visibility was nothing through the cloud and rain) it was obvious there was no walking to be done here. We had lunch in the car and a quick look round the visitor centre before proceeding on. A dive into the trusty guide book revealed some more potential walking further north where hopefully the weather would be better. Goldsborough was the target for walking and as this was an old gold mining town the town is no longer there (as there is no more gold) but there are a number of interesting walks round the old gold workings. You marvel at some of the walks around New Zealand one walk started and ended through two tunnels cut straight through the rock. On the outside normal roads and scenery on the other a miniature tropical climate, rocks and trees covered in moss, suspending walkways winding round the pits and mounds of the gold workings. 

Franz, Fox and worms

Today was our glacier trip to Fox Glacier. After being issued with boots and crampons we boarded the bus for the 15min drive out to the glacier site. From there it was a walk up round the side of the valley to climb onto the glacier higher up away from the volatile face. Whereas Franz Josef still has an ice cave mouth where its stream pours out Fox currently does not. Our guide told us of how he was giving a talk to a party while he was facing the glacier and the group was not as suddenly the mouth collapsed into the stream below. A bizarre section of the route to the glacier was through a rock fall zone. The trip organisers saw fit to install an LED in a plastic lunch box connected to (presumably) piezo wires leading up the mountain. If the LED was on the rocks were static but no stopping to admire the view through this section. The glacier is actually advancing (increasing in size) at the moment, for many years it was retreating back into the valley. Along the way driving to the glacier there are signposts of where the face was many years past. The reason it is now growing is global warming! The rain that is not falling in Australia, causing the bush fires, is making it to New Zealand falling as snow in the upper mountains and feeding the glacier. After fitting the crampons to the boots and collecting an ‘explorers’ pole we made our first steps onto the ice. Despite the fact that steps are cut for each ascent and descent and the crevasses you walk through are safely packed with ice it was a great experience to walk round a real glacier. There were reminders of how dangerous they can be with guides practicing the crevasse rescue on the less sociable sections. You get a sensation of walking on a giant living being with it slowing contorting as it cuts it way down the valley. Sections open up and close again over periods of months. As the crevasses close the rocks and debris that has collected inside it are expelled with great force and seen as very fine mud seeping from old wounds. Apparently a great exfoliate. In the afternoon we took a couple of walks round the side of the glacier following its journey over hundreds of years. Far from the current face is the remains of the Victorian cabin that was the access point to the glacier. Now it just provides a good viewpoint to see the glacier from. Another walk took us around Lake Matheson, famed for its reflections of the mountains in the distance. We got to see the reflections, but with the peaks of the mountains cut short by cloud. For those that do not like the underground Fox Glacier town has its own glow worm park which you can walk round at night and see glow worms sheltered by raised tree roots.

Into the West

Before leaving the pass there was a bit of walking to do. A visit to the Devil’s Punchbowl Falls (with a detour to look at the old hydroelectric station) and then on past the Bridal Veils falls (complete with education about the local flora) was a warm up to an ascent to the snow line (Otira Valley); after all this was a pass. The road down from the pass was an amusing and impressive mix of recently repaired roads and immense engineering to maintain the road despite the mountain continually changing shape to erosion. Colossal concrete constructions hold the road and diverted waterfalls over the road. We arrived at Franz Josef glacier in good time so started our ice experience early with a walk to mouth of the glacier. Further is restricted to guided parties only. The day finished with a drive out to what turned out to be an impressive beach complete with larger breakers and driftwood (Gillespie’s Beach). It was odd to stand on the west coast after being on the east only the day before. As ever we were treated to some very impressive views. The glacier villages only exist for the glaciers and by the time we got back to eat most of our few options had stopped serving food. Thankfully the restaurant served up an impressive feed that was topped off with some New Zealand whiskey. The Lammerlaw was mild compared to the Scot malts that inspired it with little peat aftertaste not surprisingly.

Arther's Pass

We got to spend the morning with Hazel and Paul in Christchurch before setting off for Arthur’s Pass in the afternoon. This was an impressive drive right up into the mountains through the kind of scenery that just asks to be walked into (and up on to) but we wanted to spend more time on the West Coast and so we pressed on to stay the night at the pass. In case there was any risk of altitude induced starvation the evening meal at Oscar’s Café and Bar prevented it; there was enough pizza left to provide part of next day’s lunch.

Christchurch by Night

Today we were hoping to get a stop off at Mount Cook on our return to Christchuch but as it was a driving day it was chucking it down. We barely made the trip between the car park and the visitor centre without getting drenched so we decided to break our journey further north hopefully with better weather. A quick stab at the guide book revealed Peel Forest Park which provided a pleasant walk round some very large old trees (1000+ year old Totura, 9m circumference, on the aptly named Big Tree walk) and on to a waterfall. By the evening we were back at Speights tucking into another delicious if not enormous meal. Hazel managed to squeeze the night off so joined us for food. Later that evening we were to sample some Christchurch nightlife. After a couple of café bars we hit an Irish bar, we were meant to head on to the concrete club (d’n’b night club) but before we knew it we were closing in the early hours of the morning. Unlike good ale you can export Guinness anywhere (though the first round of Guinness reminded us that old beer is not good beer).