See the pretty countryside

Yesterday is done, see the pretty countryside

Yesterday is done

Before I had quit my job I had been talking with Mother about my plans to travel round the world. Naturally she had been concerned about me travelling alone, being away for so long and being so far away from home. I had reassured her that the vast majority of my trip would be in “safe” countries like Australia and New Zealand. Within days of me giving those as examples Christchurch had suffered a massive earthquake and Australia had been struck by both fire and flood. It hadn’t exactly helped my cause convincing Mother that I would be ok but both countries had remained on my itinerary.

Christchurch was my next stop and it would be the shortest stay on my trip so far as I would only be there for one night, arriving in the evening and leaving early the following morning. When David had been putting my New Zealand itinerary together he had told me that there was not much point in visiting Christchurch at the moment as the vast majority of it was still closed despite the fact that the devastating earthquake had been nearly 10 months previous. Having seen New Orleans and how the place still bore the scars of Hurricane Katrina from six years before I heeded the advice and arranged to stay just one night in Christchurch to break up my travel over to Franz Josef.

I was collected at the bus stop by my next host, Bruce, who was one of the founders of the New Zealand Gay Stay website. He was stood waiting with a name card for me. It was the first time on my travels that I had been greeted with a name card and I felt very special. I put my case into the boot of Bruce’s car and we set off. The bus had dropped me off outside an old stone building that was still clearly badly damaged from the earthquake and I asked Bruce how much of the city was still affected. He said that he would take me on a bit of a tour so that I could see for myself.

As we drove slowly along the road Bruce pointed out numerous fenced off buildings, explaining what they used to be and what was likely to happen to them. There were so many buildings where it looked like nothing had been done to them since the earthquake, the damage still visible. We parked up and got out of the car for a walk around the bit of the city centre that wasn’t closed off. I didn’t get my camera out, it felt somehow obtrusive or ghoulish to take photos. I found myself talking in hushed tones too. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like to live through something that traumatic, the damaged buildings and uneven roads a daily reminder of what had happened. I felt fortunate that I had never had to go through anything like that and it put what I used to think were big problems into perspective. I would never again say that I had had a nightmare day just because my train into work was cancelled and I had got to the office late.

In an attempt to get people back into the city and give the place a focal point a number of shipping containers had been converted into temporary stores, creating a colourful little shopping street in amongst the building sites and empty buildings. It was not quite a phoenix rising out of the ashes but it did give the place a sense that progress was being made and that there was a hope that normality would eventually return to Christchurch. Bruce also explained that the local gay sauna had recently reopened but the gay bar still remained in an area that was closed off.

Back at Bruce’s place I was treated to a home-cooked dinner with Bruce and some of his friends and I was introduced to Richard, Stephen and Jay. The usual questions were asked of me and my travels before the conversation moved on to other topics. It was clear that some of the friendships round the table went back a number of years and at times I felt like an observer, sitting back, watching and listening as the conversation turned to stories that had obviously been told numerous times. I was told about how many, many years ago one of Bruce’s favourite jackets had disappeared from his wardrobe without him noticing. The description Bruce gave of the jacket was quite different to how the others described it.  His friends had apparently taken a dislike to the large shoulder pads on the jacket, had smuggled it out and ceremonially burned it in the garden. After a couple more bottles of wine and several more stories it was time for me to head to bed.

See the pretty countryside 

The next morning I was up and ready very early so that Bruce could drop me off at the train station on his way to work. I was soon on board the little train that would take me from Christchurch to Greymouth where I would pick up a bus to Franz Josef. The train had a viewing platform and I made my way there as we wound our way up through the countryside, slowly climbing towards Greymouth. I was in the stunning New Zealand countryside that everyone talked about. The views were spectacular and no description that I could give would ever do it justice so you will just have to look at the photos instead. Once in Greymouth I had enough time for some lunch before the bus arrived to take me to Franz Josef. I got into Franz Josef late afternoon and made my way to Alpine Glacier Motel where I was greeted by my next host Billy. Billy gave me a massive hug before showing me to my room. He asked if I was going to be visiting the glacier and I said yes. He told me that the weather forecast for the following day was not so good and he advised that I went up straight away. I said ok and before I said anything else he was on the phone to the local minibus people to find out the time of the next bus.

The next bus would be passing by in five minutes to collect people to take them up the glacier. I had enough time to change into my old trainers, visit the bathroom and grab my camera before I was heading out again. There were only a couple of other people in the minibus for the short drive up to the start of the trail that would lead us close to the Franz Josef glacier. The lady driving the minibus explained that the last bus back down would be in just under two hours time but that should give us enough time to have a leisurely stroll to the glacier and back or to have a slightly more energetic walk to the glacier and back and then up Sentinel Hill for some nice views. I opted for the latter getting up to the glacier after a nice brisk walk. It was really quiet at the glacier and I stood in silence on my own for a while staring up at the huge wall of ice that was (a safe distance) in front of me. The place was amazing and it was another moment on my trip when I wished I had been with someone, anyone, to share the experience. Having taken in the scenery I headed back via the hill for some more photos and then caught the last bus back. There was no sign of Billy at the reception so I had a quiet night in with a pizza from the nearby Blue Ice Café.

The Franz Josef Glacier

The advice from Billy to see the glacier the evening I arrived was spot on as I woke the next morning to the sound of torrential rain. Having got myself ready I opened the curtains to see just how bad it was. The greyness outside was immense, the mountain up near the glacier was not even visible. I pottered for the morning, not wanting to venture out. When it came near to the time to check out and go get my bus I made a dash across from my room to the reception. Despite the fact that it was only twenty feet away I was soaked by the time I got there. Billy was behind the reception desk. I thanked him for the room and for getting me to the glacier the previous day. He leant me an old umbrella so that I could get to the bus stop without being too wet. I joined the fellow passengers huddled under the small shelter waiting for the bus. It took us a long time to load the bus due to several people who had planned on biking to wherever they were headed booking at the last minute. The driver struggled to fit the luggage and bikes into the trailer but about half an hour late we were finally on the way. I have no idea what the scenery between Franz Josef and Queenstown, my next stop, looked like as the windows were all steamed up from the damp passengers. Our driver told us that the weather would be different once we crossed the hills and got nearer to Queenstown. He was right, and by the time I was dropped off in Queenstown the sun was shining. Rather aptly for my travels the bus dropped me off on the corner of Camp Street.

“Yesterday is done, see the pretty countryside” 
Lyrics from Merrily we Roll Along (1961-1960) from the musical Merrily we Roll Along