Float with the Tides and Blow with the Wind ++

I had never seen a glacier before, it was beautiful.It featured every single shade of blue you can imagine,and glistened like tiny sapphire diamonds in the sunlight. We had already hiked up most of the bare mountain, Fox Glacier,New Zealand, and were now met with an ice terrain. It made deep, threatening rumbles of cracking noises beneath the hard surface. We stopped to get geared up. From here, the mission continued adorned in ice gear. Crampons (boot spikes), ice picks, helmets, gloves, harnesses and more, the guides tell us we are ready. Ice climbing – 100-foot faces of cold, wet, dangerous ice.
As a travel destination, NZ’s attributes are nothing short of spectacular – it's no doubt a place of incredible landscape for the thrill seeking and adventurous. It also bears the fruits of incredible vineyard tours, breathtaking scenery, and marine wildlife. Today I was walking on the adventurous side, and wow how it proved more difficult with crampons on my feet.
Finally, amidst the ice walls, our leaders set up a few lines to hack away at. Each course was different,full of challenges and no remorse. Having rock climbed only once before,I noticed that a) this was significantly colder, and b) “beginner” meant two different things between Canadians and Kiwis. These ice walls were high and I was nervous. But,do one thing a day that scares you,right?
Step one is to trust your ice picks. I Proceeded with caution,not able to feel when my picks are losing grip,as I would my own fingertips. After a few climbs, I was in ecstasy; time for the highest, steepest run. I made it 90% of the way,took a deep breath, pictured the oxygen making it’s way to my sore muscles,reimbursing them with the will to continue. Perched on this ice castle, I snapped a mental photo: tiny climbers down below, rays of ice blues, I was alone up there – the whole view mine to digest. On cue,the clouds broke, the rays of the sun tickled my face but did nothing to warm my frozen toes or fingers.
I swing my picks emptily,praying for their security in the ice wall. I'm 2 or 3 reaches from the top my tired, empty digs into the ice wall are not enough. I slip, bumping my tired bones on the soaking ice tower. Defeated.Exhausted.Humbled by nature. A bead of sweat trickles down the side of my forehead and I allow the tension in my crows feet to relax. With one more taste of the the view of my accomplishment, I relax into decent. Thank you NZ for being so beautiful and inspiring me to push my limits.