I jumped out of bed to look out the window to see what the weather was like, as today was a “Double H” day – Highlight and Helicopter!
Perfect!
We walked around the corner to the helicopter office. We have found customer services in NZ to be very friendly, very relaxed and very efficient. A young man confirmed our booking, gave us the safety talk and walked us literally across the road and around a hedge, and there was the helipad.
Our helicopter came in…..
…..landed, and the people hopped out. The pilot refuelled from a small bowser right beside the helipad, which took all of five minutes. He then introduced himself as Callum, we hopped in and took off, just like that.
There we were, up in the air, and heading for the glacier.
Here is Pat in the front with our pilot Callum, looking like a veteran helicopter passenger. I’m sitting in the back with a nice couple from Melbourne, madly taking photos out the window. We are over the Fox Glacier already.
Pictures taken from the window of the helicopter as we approach the Fox Glacier:
Intrepid passenger and pilot discuss landing.
Landed on Fox Glacier!
Yes, it’s us!
On the glacier:
This glacier had received snow about three weeks ago. The surface was hard, crystalline and a bit slippery. It showed no sign of our footprints or even the many helicopter landings.
There was another helicopter on the glacier while we were there.
It left before we did.
Then it was our turn to leave.
On or way back, we saw some of the interesting cracks in the glacier.
Then, we landed, after an experience we will never forget.
Double H day on 19th April 2012.
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