I HAD THE BEST TIME! I found myself in glacier country and decided I needed to be a real tourist about it. The thing to do around here is take a helicopter ride over and onto the glaciers. Excellent. I went into the town and made myself go into the various tourist companies.
I was thinking of going the next morning because it was cloudy over the mountains (as always) and I thought maybe everything would be perfect the next day. But I talked to an agent to book it and she said they had room for the flight leaving in the next half hour and the weather was good enough now that I shouldn't gamble on tomorrow. Which sounds pushy, but is actually fair enough.
So I ended up in a helicopter with two older couples. It was kind of ridiculous. Then I got what I assume is the best seat, the front and side. It was amazing. I've never been in a helicopter before. I didn't find it at all scary. It made sense. There was no crazy need to gain speed to hopefully launch into the air. We just lifted up. It's perfection, why do we bother with cars?
After I got over how superb helicopters are, we were in sight of the Franz Josef Glacier. It was sooooooo beautiful and ridiculous. It was what I imagined when I learned about glaciers in elementary school. Which was something unreal that I would ever only see pictures of. Something wild and unattainable. Yet here I was, floating magically above one.
As mentioned before, although it looks perfect in these photos, it was cloudy. But that was actually kind of great. We flew just below the clouds but above the glacier. It even took a bit longer and a bit more magic helicopter maneuvering to get out of it and over to the Fox Glacier. I loved every second.
We landed on the Fox Glacier. Again, IT WAS AMAZING! The pilot took my picture.
I kind of freaked out and was incredibly happy. It felt like I was a little kid at the first snow of winter and it was perfect packing snow and a snow day.
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| I made a snow angel! |
Then I just lost myself and started to throw snowballs as far as I could. And then I made a snowman. (I did notice a few of my fellow passengers taking photos of me playing in the snow. I'm sure thinking I was just being a kid. One of them complemented me on my snowman when we got back) And then I ran around and took pictures and kicked snow and couldn't contain myself (maybe I have missed winter a bit). Everything was perfect. We got back on the helicopter and had a gorgeous scenic ride back.
I'm glad I made myself interact with other humans. And be a tourist. And things.
Also, I think I've missed my calling. Helicopters. Nature. Freedom. Joy. I want it all.
Other things to note:
- I've been practicing juggling, I'm still terrible. (Although I do think people keep their tents further from mine if I'm practicing)
- I woke up this morning. The sea was still there. And so was the sky. The sea, the sky, the sea, the sky, the sea, the sky, the sea, the sky, the sea, the sky, the sea, the sky
- I've been trying to run sometimes and it's the best. There is always at least one beautiful or kind of ridiculous/unbelievable thing. Afterwards I feel like I could just go to bed and the day would be completely worth it. There are quiet moments waiting for me to see them as something special. And I try to.
- The sea, the sky, the sea, the sky
- I bought a mix CD some stranger made from an op shop. It's great. It's a lovely snapshot of a very specific time on somone else's life. It has 'Party in the USA' on it. This brings me happiness in so many ways.
- Hair update: I think I've figured it out. I'm a Beatle.
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