Tandem's Travels: MORE SOUTH ISLAND PICKS

#3--HIKING ON FOX GLACIER. Good weather took us to the other side of the island, the location of two spectacular glaciers, Franz Josef and Fox. The road down the entire western coast twists and turns along the shore where the waves crash dramatically and blow holes erupt. Our hike on the glacier was arduous but the views were spectacular and we even crawled through a small cave. Hikers are provided with crampons and sticks for support. The weather was clear and sunny, most unusual for this side of the island but perfect for enjoying the ice.

Driving on the left with a manual shift requires concentration and the consensus is that the roads are much narrower here than in the states. Most bridges are one lane with a clever system for determining right-of-way but inevitably you meet a huge truck on a blind curve with a plunge off one side. Road travel tends to be a white-knuckle experience. Fortunately, traffic is not heavy nor does it move fast. The B&B's tend to be expensive but lovely, youth hostels are clean and comfortable, averaging about $20/pp a night, camping is very comfortable when the weather is good, and the motels-US $60-75-absolutely sparkle and usually come with a complete kitchen for meal preparation.

#4-Milford Sound-Surprisingly it is best to see this famous attraction in the rain and, if possible, an overnight stay on one of the small boats gives you a more private experience in what can be a very crowded place. The rain causes the steep cliffs to turn into thousands of waterfalls, the clouds move lower and the vista almost takes your breath away. With luck the sky will suddenly clear, the rain will stop and an entirely different vista will greet you on the return trip. This area also is home to a rare kind of alpine parrot that has no fear of people and loves to walk on top of cars, eating any rubber they can get their beaks around.

South Island is not about cities but a few stand out--Christchurch is charming and cosmopolitan with a strong art community and nearby on the peninsula is the lovely French village of Akaroa. Te Ano is more of a village than a city and is the center for backpacking on the Tracks but is also a good place to base yourself and explore from there. We missed seeing Dunedin to our regret as it has a strong Scottish heritage. Nelson, on the north coast has the best climate in NZ and makes a good base for exploring the north part of the South Island. Our ferry trip between North and South Islands on Bluebridge Lines was comfortable but the trip can be wild if the weather is not good. The previous week one of the boats was caught in huge seas that damaged several cars and injured passengers.