In Glacier Country

The two most important items of the day were sun glasses and a sun hat. Yes, indeed, this was a sunny day, mostly at any rate, and I was determined to make the most of it.

Sentinel Rock Walk, Franz Josef Glacier

My first adventure took me on the Sentinel Rock Walk to the scenic lookout platform from where I had a wonderful close-up view of the Franz Josef Glacier, which is one of three West Coast glaciers of the Southern Alps. The air was still crisp, no large clouds had shrouded the peak yet.

Three Mile Lagoon

The second adventure started some 20km further north at the sea coast in Okarito, a wetland and picturesque beach place. The track to Three Mile Lagoon, a sheltered estuary, meanders through lush native coastal forest. The canopy was particularly dense in the middle third. I treaded on soft, soggy moss cushions, in fact, everything was covered in moss, some of it boasting the most vivid green colour I’ve ever seen. The air was different here, too. Musky, heavy, cool – almost a mystical experience.

After a good one and a half hours of walking, the path dropped into the lagoon. I was hoping for a mountainous backdrop, but by this time of the day the clouds had moved in again. I lingered a while on the estuary side, savouring the sun in this secluded piece of heaven I had all to myself.