Authors Pass, Franz Joseph Glacier , them valley walks. Ultimate Peace

Day 1.

So.... There I was sitting in the hostel and thinking, I need to get out of here and see this place. Then I met this German Girl Jana . She said she was leaving the next day for a 6 week trek through the country. I said, do you have room for one more? She said sure. So I packed my bag, and the next day I left my car to another German boy Anton. I've only know him for one week and he had such a honorable disposition , he is a leo with the heart of a lion. I knew even knowing him for one week if I left my car with him it would be safe. It's amazing that people like him exist. I can count on one hand the people I trust back home to do the same.

Anyways I left him 150 for extra gas should he need to drive to pick me up anywhere, he said Scott you will have 150 when I pick you up . lol

Jana and I loaded up the van and got on our way. This was the first campsite we stayed in. It was a free site and the views were leaving me speechless.

Sometimes just some toast with jam can I get a Hello There....

When You got to dishes, who needs a sink?? Lol

We had to make our plan of attack.

I had brought my American flag from my retirement from the Army with me. She was flown on Fort Carson base back in 2007. I love what the flag stands for. It seems like so many people have forgotten but I could never forget. Because I earned her with blood sweat and tears.

Then you go, take a walk along the lake and boom, a wild apple tree. Lol, talk about sustainability. Jona said lets have some apples with cinnamon and sugar for dinner.

Apparently it's illegal to have a fire most places in the summer here. A man walked up and warned me before we lit it. But knowing me I figured we wouldn't get caught and I am a professional when it comes to the art of fire building and safety. I went over to the mans tent and invited him and his wife to come join us for some roasted apples. Needless to say they joined us shortly thereafter.

They tasted so good!!!!!

I've known this girl for 3 days. She is so kind and allowed me to join her on this adventure. She made sure to let me know at anytime if my behavior isn't appropriate I could get left behind. She's such a bad ass. Let me use her tent too since she had a bed in her van!!

We decided to go on a morning jog up the road. Only for about 15 minuets. That fresh air felt like it was breathing new life into my lungs.

That running selfie, lol, I'm so American.

Panoramas for days...........

When one gets thirsty, that water is so tasty. It comes from the melting glacier. It's ice cold and leaves you a feeling of euphoria afterwards.

Flowers are the only proof I need that god exists and he impregnated our mother earth with the seed of life.

We needed some more water for our trip so , why not take some of that glacier water for the road. Evian doesn't have squat on this, taken right from the source. And since New Zealand doesn't use all the crazy chemicals, pesticides, and Fracking, this water is as pure as the day God created it.

This looks like a nice spot to have lunch!!

It seems as though every one here is vegan, Jana eats meat just a few times a year for special occasions. This was rice, with some chickpeas and beets. Ahhhh, I love beets so much. I also love only spending a few dollars a day on food. That way I can maintain this lifestyle of travel for eternity.

We saw a little opening down a path in the road and decided to look down and wow. That water is so blue.

I keep having to pinch myself to see if I'm in a dream. It doesn't feel real. If I could imagine what heaven would look like. It would look like this.

Germans are some of the coolest people I have ever met.

In America we kill all the caterpillars then wonder why there are no butterfly's. Not here, they believe to just let nature be.

She said she wanted to go for a dip in the glacier water. I said are you insane its freezing? I thought to myself, if this 20 year old girl is gonna jump in I would be the biggest pansy if I didn't join. So I worked up the courage and took the leap. Boy never before in my life have I felt more alive.

I had to mark it on the map so I could never forget the name of the place where all my problems seemed to disappear and for a moment I experienced the taste of true freedom.

She bought this van last week for 2500 from a Israeli couple. It has a full kitchen in the back. Wow we have been doing camping all wrong back in the states. There are tons of back packers here and they come for several months and buy a van then sell it when they leave. There are so many other vans like this one. It's wild.

We had to stop at a cafe to charge our electronics and for coffee of course.

I went for another morning run through the jungle. It was uplifting, the Air here is filled with so much oxygen it feels like I could run for days.

These crazy looking flightless birds are everywhere. This is a little Wicker and they will eat all the food you want to give them. lol

Pancakes, potatoes, and egg for breakfast. I think soo!!!!!!!

Jana eats Oats for breakfast everyday. It's a wonder why she looks so healthy.

I could have sworn I heard a rooster crowing this morning. Lol, there the little rascal is.

We saw this beast of a machine with some New Zealand Soldiers, I had to snap a photo.

Shanty Town !!!

When life gives you no black berries, just walk around a field for a little while. You are sure to find some.

Id say it was a good harvest. Lol

Fruit Salad anyone!!

Lunch is Served !!! With wild black berries and wild apples. It's as sustainable as it comes.

Free darts anyone.

I didn't know Jana was a horse vaulter . Who would have known they ride horses and do all kinds of crazy flips and twirls. She wanted to take a photo to send her parents. I'd say it turned out pretty good.

Panoramas for dayzzzzzzzz.

More wild blackberries . WOW don't they look so tasty.

She said, We must stop and take a dip again.... I really didn't want too but after she did, i felt like I had no choice. Lol. I'm glad I did.

Spent 4 days without meat. I had to get some protein. Lucky for me, she eats fish so I fried us up some balsa fish. Ahhh it was so tasty.

The current was so strong we could only swim out a few feet then back. The water had to have been just above freezing. It literally took the breath away.