Day 43: Through the Rainforest
I actually got my bus schedule right this morning, so I finally caught my bus to Franz Josef. Definitely glad that things happened the way they did though, yesterday was one of the most memorable days of the journey so far.
Today was pretty good too though.
My bus traveled north along the west coast from Queenstown to Franz Josef. The bus also stopped in Lake Wanaka and Fox Glacier along the way.
Throughout the first half of the eight hour ride the landscape was grassy farmlands backed by hills and mountains. I kept my attention on the window for as long as I could, and listened to the information the bus driver was saying into the intercom, but I eventually drifted into a light doze.
I woke when we reached Lake Wanaka, a smaller lake, and therefore smaller town, than Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown. The wind was high today and it gave the lake a very rough, wavy appearance. The weather would only get worse as we traveled on.
Next we stopped at a local fruit market to stretch our legs, use the restroom, and check out the great selection of fruits this place had. The building was surrounded by vast orchards of bare trees. Apple, cherry, and a bunch I didn't recognize. I bought some nice looking mandarins to supplement the not so healthy snacks I had also brought along.
Rain started to fall quickly. I remember wondering how all the sheep we were passing dealt with the rain. But most of them didn't seem to mind or even notice. They just went about their business of eating grass.
As if in response to rain, the grasslands began to give way to dense rainforest. We entered into Mount Aspiring National Park.
Not long after entering the park, we swapped bus drivers. This way the drivers wouldn't have to take the full eight hours away from their home, but rather take four hours out and four hours back. During this stop I got the chance to walk into the forest to see one of the park's biggest waterfalls. The forest was fascinating, everything seemed to be covered in a layer of fluffy green moss. The waterfall was huge, possibly one of the tallest ones I've seen in person. Water rushed from the top of a cliff, pouring hundreds of feet into the rocky river below.
Also all the water around here is extremely clear, as you can see in the river.
With our new bus driver we soon came into view of the ocean. I think technically it's part of the Pacific ocean, but it's probably got another name too. The waves rose tall in the wind and rain. On the opposite side of the road, was something equally interesting, at least to me, the rainforest. When I hear the term "rainforest" my mind immediately jumps to the Amazon, and other forest near the equator. But this rainforest is far from the equator. What really caught my interest was what the bus driver called "two layers of forest." It's kinda tough to explain, but think of it like this; one forest on top of another. There is the lower layer of smaller trees and bushes, and then a second layer of taller trees that tower over the smaller trees, resembling their own forest coming out of a green leafy ground. This is the kind of thing I could talk about for a while.
But I won't.
The bus stopped for lunch at a salmon farm. Fortunately it wasn't just a farm, it also had a cafe. So I ordered a BLT, not being to keen on eating the salmon I had just seen swimming around outside. The BLT was great, exactly what I needed to keep going. The mandarin's were nice, but I needed something warm and hearty.
I stayed awake as long as I could through the rainforest and the west coast, but I ended up sleeping through our stop at Fox Glacier, and came to when the bus pulled into Franz Josef. Fortunately, I didn't miss seeing an actual glacier, the bus only pulled through the town.
My hostel for tonight is called Rainforest Backpackers, perfect for the day I just had. I checked into my room to find two roommates asleep at 4:00pm with a personal heater on blast. I didn't know what kind of day they had, but I kept as quiet as I could, and let them sleep. Within an hour I was itching to try the hot tub. It has been a long time since I've been in a hot tub, even before I left for this adventure. I grabbed my bathing suit and made my way over to see what was going on.
The hot tub was outside, in the cold and rain, but I didn't care. The biggest problem was that there was nowhere to change. The one guy in the hot tub pointed out a small shed underneath a building next to the hot tub. So I stepped into what was basically the basement of someone's hotel room, and quickly threw on my bathing suit, leaving my things in a pile and out of the rain.
The hot tub was perfect. The water was scalding hot, but felt great after the cold rain. I didn't keep track of time but I think I was in the hot tub from 5:15 to at least 6:00, if not longer. Part of the reason I stayed for so long, was because leaving was intimidating. I made a mad dash into the shed and ran back to my room as quickly as I could. I took a quick shower before going to dinner. The hostel had a restaurant built right into the complex, so I didn't have to go far.
Dinner was a filling serving of cheese-less pepperoni pizza with a discounted bowl of fries thanks to a voucher from the hostel. As I walked back across the parking lot, the rain had slowed to a drizzle. I returned to my room and began to write, ready to begin the end of my day.
Tomorrow I hop on another bus to Greymouth further north. I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm excited nonetheless. New Zealand has yet to disappoint, even on the days when it could have easily done so. It is unfortunate that I missed a day here in Franz Josef, but I think my extra day in Queenstown made up for it.
Plus the hostel in Greymouth also has a hot tub, so how bad could it be?
Thanks for reading and here's to tomorrow.
