On Ice...

Expecting it to be very cold, we all dressed very warmly for our hike on the Franz Josef Glacier. Our guides (Franz Josef Guides) fitted us out with crampons (ice hiking spikes) and boots, so we were well equipped. But the actual glacier was quite a walk (about 1hr) from the drop off point in the valley so we were too hot in all our clothes! The guide, Rob, said we were very lucky to have such a warm day, as the area had had all the rain that came in from the Queensland floods.
After a steep climb up the rocks to the base of the glacier, and with crampons finally on, we started our trek on the ice. The vast "iceblock" was magnificent! We followed Rob through crevices and up ice stairs that they had made with picks earlier that day, and which Rob continually re-adjusted as conditions required. We were in safe hands. At one point, we came across a tunnel under the ice, only as big as a manhole, which we crawled through on our hands & knees. Mum was glad she was wearing her gloves! Everywhere the ice was melting, creating crevices and pools, and waterfalls. The water was clean enough to drink and...icy cold!!

The ice was blue where it was still deep within the glacier and unexposed to air. In other places, it had grey brown streaks where it had picked up ground rock.
After we got back to the start point & removed the crampons, we quickly warmed up on the trek back to the bus! Its not until you sit down do you realise how physically busy you had been for the previous 4hrs.
We all settled into a quiet night after Dad got more photos of the glacier & surrounding mountains, closer to dusk. Tomorrow, we are driving to Wanaka!!

A note for insulin pumpers: To cope with the day-long physical activity, reduce your bolus by 50% & basal by 50%. However, if you are quite active normally you could reduce the basal to about 60% and if you don't do anything regularly you should reduce the basal by more, say to about 40%. The exercise effects lasted well into the night - keep your basal rate reduced to 85% for another 10hrs. Result - No hypo's & very good BGLs!!