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Day 7 Queenstown to Franz Glacier | A Guide to South Island New Zealand

After four days of fun in Queenstown, we were headed for Franz Josef Glacier! We stopped to pick up some fruit and snacks at Jones’s Fruit Stall. I usually like to bring home snacks for friends, because I find it to be more useful/practical than getting little trinkets. IMO, little trinkets can become clutter unless there is something meaningful behind it. Or maybe I’m a cold-hearted (insert word of choice here) and just not that sentimental. :)

Jones's Fruit Stand | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

Next stop was Wanaka’s Puzzling World where we first had to go through an outdoor maze to get to the entrance.  It was harder than it appeared, and since I don’t enjoy being a rat in a maze, I found it extremely annoying.

Wanaka's Puzzling World | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

BUT once we got in, we enjoyed taking a lot of cheesy optical illusion photos. :)

Wanaka's Puzzling World | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

Wanaka's Puzzling World | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

Wanaka's Puzzling World | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

Afterwards, we stopped at Makarora Country Cafe for lunch and wifi and then ran into a bit of traffic.  Here we have a new zealand traffic jam caused by sheep.

New zealand traffic jam caused by sheep! | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

We took a short hike to the Blue Pools (30 minutes roundtrip), which gave a little taste of all the amazing scenery you can find even on short hikes from the main road.

Blue Pools New Zealand | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

Such gorgeous blue water.  This is probably one of the few times I wished I brought a polarizer to minimize the reflection, but still gorgeous nonetheless.

Blue Pools New Zealand | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

Blue Pools New Zealand | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

Blue Pools New Zealand | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

Blue Pools New Zealand | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

We also made a stop at Thunder Creek Falls, and finally headed into the town of Franz Josef.

Thunder Creeks Falls | Day 7 New Zealand Sweet as South Contiki Tour | A Guide to South IslandPin

Timeline of our day (2012.12.01):

  • 9:30-9:50 AM Jones’s Fruit Stall
  • 10:00-11:15 AM Wanaka’s Puzzling World
  • 12:30-1:15 Makarora Country Cafe. Free wifi
  • 1:30-2:15 PM Thirty minute roundtrip hike to Blue Pools
  • 2:30-2:45 PM Thunder Creeks Falls
  • Dinner + Drinks at the restaurant located at our hotel (Dinner was included in contiki tour price)

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