22 January 2011
3 Hours of Hiking
3 Hours of Beach Time
Last night we went on the hunt for glow-worms. These are critters that glow in the dark. But then again, “critter” may not be the best way to explain them. Rather than try, let’s just borrow a definition from the Rough Guide:
A glow-worm isn’t a worm at all, but the matchstick-sized larval stage of the fungus gnat (a relative of the mosquito), which attaches itself to the cave roof [or on overhanging banks in the bush] and produces around twenty or thirty mucus-and-silk threads or “fishing lines”, which hang down a few centimeters. Drawn by the highly efficient chemical light, midges and flying insects get ensnared in the threads and the glow-worm draws in the line to eat them.
They sound absolutely delightful, don’t they? In fact, they weren’t creepy at all, emitting their “bluey-green” glow along the pitch-black trail. No, it was the trail itself that was creepy, hiking it in total darkness in search of these glowing larvae. But seeing them was well worth the fear factor, their tiny little lights like a bed of stars in a mossy galaxy. Super cool.
Also last night, the skies completely cleared and we awoke this morning to this view from our campsite:
Pack the Camelbaks, we’re going hiking! The perfect antidote to our previous day spent in the car. Here at Fox Glacier the thing to see is, obviously enough, the glacier. After a false start on the Fox Mountain trail (the “Danger” sign complete with an entire paragraph on the dangers that awaited us should we continue up the trail was enough of a deterrent) we performed a course correction and instead hiked every other trail near the glacier that did not require crampons and a tour guide.
Next on our agenda was a drive out to Gillespies Beach. We let Gina drive the 12 km dirt road to many exclamations of “you’re drifting … you’re drifting … you’re drifting!”. The curse of Uluru follows her still to New Zealand. And Gillespies Beach? Two hearty and enthusiastic thumbs up. See for yourself.
