(I know this is super late. My bad.)

“This trip is so short I don’t want to spend it upset,” Julie says as we slowly make our way over some jagged rocks.

It’s Monday. The sun is shining. It’s finally not raining. Franz Josef is surrounded by gorgeous mountains.

We’re standing on a trail hiking back from a 45 minute trek to the base of the Franz Josef glacier. A glacier we wanted to spend our day in, not looking at. But, when has anything ever gone right the past five days?

Sure we were willing to pay 300 dollars to do the Ice Explorer. Of course we were excited to get on a helicopter, dressed in blue, prepared for a four hour trek through the Franz Josef glacier. Sure we were excited and finally, finally, finally ready to do something – anything – that didn’t require hiding from the rain.

But of course even with the sun, a cloud ruined those plans.

But, I guess despite the downer, I did save 300 dollars – and I still got to see the glacier, if not actually hike in it for only 13.

Julie was right.

It was wet and rocky and we attempted to chase a rainbow.

When you’re travelling in New Zealand’s autumn season you learn to just embrace it.

And embrace we did.

It also helped that when you do the Ice Explorer you get free access into the hot pools. Well, we didn’t get to go up into some ice, but we didn’t cut off our blue wrist bands either.

So, maybe we got into a 42 degree pool for free. And bought three dollar mud masks.

Like I said, Julie was right.