The Big Surprise
We were half way through our breakfast, when we were given a message that if we still wanted to go on the helicopter, to be at the booking office in five minutes, ready to go!
This was an unexpected bonus.
So we left our unfinished breakfast and headed back to our room to collect the camera and video and headed out to register for our helicopter trip.
We had to go early, so that everyone who had booked the trip, could get a chance to go before the weather closed in again.
So, with the early start, we were on our way for our first helicopter ride. 
The helicopter took us back up the valley where we had walked through the night before, to the Terminal Face and beyond.
We flew up over the top of the Glacier and up over the top of the snow covered mountain.
This was such an exciting trip and the views were so awesome!
The snow on the top of the mountain was so thick and it looked like whipped egg whites.
It was so white up there that I had trouble focusing the video as all I could see through the viewer was white. There were deep crevices that are over one hundred feet deep up there too.
The pilot circled around a few times before the bad weather started to move in. The clouds were moving fast and we had to leave the mountain top before we lost direction. It was interesting to see the top of the Glacial ice covered in snow.
We came back down over the glacier. The view above the Glacier was so fearful. But the colour and the views were breathtaking. The sun shining on the ice was an awesome sight.
We flew over the waterfall and then followed the river back down the valley.
The ride was over too soon and we were back at the helipad alighting the helicopter.
But the experience was such a memoriable one. We were so blessed, we got our wish after all.
By the time we got back to the Hotel it was time to board the coach again and continue on to our next destination.We journey on further through the mountains and on toward Franz Josef Glacier. It was so difficult to see this as the weather was the same as at Fox Glacier. The riverbed in this area is very wide. Gordon, our coach driver, was telling us that they are expecting a huge one hundred year flood this year, as it is long overdue. Most of the buildings have been moved to higher ground before it happens. All except one Motel that couldn’t be moved.
Further on our journey, we pass Lake Lanthe. This is such an awesome Lake. And to make it even more so, we were fortunate enough to be there when it was showing all its splendour with mirror images. Arthur was so excited, that he had to get a photo to prove that he had actually been there at this time. Such an awesome sight. Lake Lanthe mirroring the surrounding countryside and the sky. 
This really made Arthur’s day!
Our next stop is at Greymouth.