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| Mt Cook |
Yesterday, Caleb and I visited two glaciers which reach toward the sea. Our day was geologic showcase of glaciers, volcanoes, and two very different flora: alpine and subtropical. Walking up to these glaciers in a bowl of sheer cliffs was magnificent.
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| Walk to Franz Joseph Glacier |
Large cliffs loomed next to a flat river bed of stones. Boulders had been tossed into the rock field below the glaciers, while others had been pulverized into the grey water that emerged below the glacier.
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| Cliffs @ Fox Glacier |
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| early morning Lake Matheson |
We spent the night in Fox, rising to walk around Lake Matheson and gaze at Mt. Cook in the distance.
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Mt. Cook
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Lake Matheson
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| Lake Matheson |
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Driving from the glaciers over Haast Pass , through Wanaka, Queenstown and into Otago Region, the scenery changes dramatically. In some places, the mountains and ranches reminded us of western Rockies, in others, the coastline of California and others, the green of Washington and Oregon. Palms and cabbage trees from the coast yielded to Pine and poplar-cousins in the area around Wanaka. Yet the only large animals are the ones behind fences as few wild large mammals exist in this county. No bear, antelope, or deer. Rabbits and fuzzy-tailed possum abound, but are reviled as invasive species, responsible for the destruction of native flora and fauna.
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| Southern S. Island coast |
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| Haast Pass |
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| North of Wanaka, Otago |
While I drove, I had ample time to let my thoughts wander. I have been considering the two medical systems and how they could learn from each other. To the kiwi, I would cut down length of stay in hospital, reduce turn over time in theater (surgery), and move many minor procedures out of the operating theatre and into procedure rooms. I would hope to increase access to screening tests. To the US, I would recommend reduced work hours ( to make medicine tenable and incur less provider burn out), coverage for everyone for emergencies at least, more barriers to malpractice suits (frivolous ones), and some measure of cost containment/prioritizing. Granted there is no perfect system. I see problems with both systems, benefits to both, and political machinations that mean change is slow , full of confrontation. I also see medical care costs increasing. A two tiered system exists where the rich can get what they need, when they need it and the rest have large gaps in care, long waiting times.
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| Central Otago |
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| It's autumn in Otago... |
We arrived in Te Anau after a long day of driving to find a gem: Keiko’s cottages. Caleb’s Japanese came in handy as he conversed with the woman who owned the cottages. Reduced end of the season rates were offered and we were shown a roomy cottage complete with kitchen and electric nabe pot. Caleb introduced me to the Japanese stew cooked at the table, and finished off with noodles, a delightful way to start the exploration of fiordlands. Tomorrow, we will hike the Kepler track, or at least part of it.
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| Sunset in Otago |
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