Climbing the glacier

The day was perfect for the climb up to the franz Josef glacier, just a short drive outside town. The hike took us through dense forest to a huge clearing in the river bed, with grayish water rushing down from the glacier in front of us. It was eerie to be out there in the open, with just a handful of people and us! After about an hour and a half we reached the base if the massive glacier. Really spectacular! So grand! After hiking back we took the rest of the day to rest and relax around the small village and along the waters edge. Loads of backpackers from all over the world in town. Helicopters kept flying overhead, but we chose to see the sites from the ground. Our rainforest retreat campsite was the best yet, with tree huts, beautiful facilities and a restaurant/bar, where we stopped in at night for a glass of wine by the fire, to chat with some fellow travelers.