My bus today wasn't set to leave until 12.30pm so I didn't really have a huge rush to do anything, and made up some bacon and lettuce sandwiches for breakfast, as well as some cheese and ham sandwiches for lunch. While I was in the kitchen, I met the room-mates that I hadn't been awake to meet from the night before. They were travelling together, one from Taiwan, and one from Germany, and their destination was the Glaciers. I recommended they stay for 2 days to try and get a chance at good weather, remembering my own thoughts on the matter from the day before!
A woman from poland, but who teaches French and Spanish in London, was also going to the glacier, and asked for my input as to whether or not Chateau Franz was a good place to stay. I confirmed that it was, as it included free breakfast, and soup in the evenings. In exchange, she gave me some tips on things to see in Australia, since I'd mentioned I was heading there next.
After I had checked out and left my bags in the hostel lounge, I went for a wander around Hokitika, and found out some history while I walked along the esplanade. It was selected as the capital of the region during the gold rush, though the place was often being flooded and impacted by the tides and rivers, with people often having to go along the streets by boat. It reminded me of the information I saw several years ago while going around seattle, which also had stories of people using boats to get around the streets!
I reached a point along the esplanade where I could not proceed any further due to coastal erosion defence work being carried out - including some huge dumper trucks carrying giant boulders and tipping them out - it was pretty impressive to watch while rocks that must weigh several tonnes were just tipped out like they were made of papier mache
I detoured trough some streets, and made it to the beach, where I amused myself by taking lots of photos of the great surf that was apparent - I have to say that the Tasman Sea seems to be just right for surf waves - I don't know if it's the winds, or just how the coast in the areas I've been at but there always has been great surf every time I've seen it.
As I walked back to the hostel, I noticed a vodafone shop so I wandered in , on the off chance that they had the phone I was looking for, but as it was just a small town and more of a stall than a full shop, they didn't have many models available.
I made it to the bus stop with plenty of time to spare, and despite having to wait while all the existing passengers got on, somehow the best seat was still fully available, so I was pleased to grab that.
The road north now had an obvious railway line going along beside it, and I was surprised to see that there was a level crossing that went right across a roundabout - meaning that it cross the road part twice, once on each side of the middle circle, and also went right through the middle circle. I had to wonder what that did to traffic flow, but either traffic was so low on the roads or rail that it wasn't an issue, since it hasn't been changed from that model, as well as the fact that further along the road, we came to a point where it was a single track bridge that took both trains and road traffic - on the same track!
We got to the station at Greymouth for 10 past 1pm, so the driver had been correct peviously, as the train itself was not due to depart until 5 past 2. I checked my luggage in, and then ate the sandwiches and enjoyed the sunshine until the train pulled up. Despite being advised that boarding wasn't until 10 to 2, everyone was allowed to board at half past 1
The train journey started off, and we were treated to an on board commentary through headsets, so were able to listen in or choose to admire the scenery instead. The first things we learned was that Kotuku means White Heron, and that it is the area named after the bird, as well as learning about the different tasks that the lumber/sawmill trade had - including the job role of fiddler, which is someone who cuts long logs. A story exists that when a local paper advertised for a fiddler, smeone turned up with a violin to apply for the job!
We stopped at Otira, and prepared to enter the 8.5km long tunnel hat leads up to Arthur's Pass - I just had enough time to buy a beer at the bar before they closed for the preparations, and then tuned in to find out that the tunnel, as well as being 8.5km long, and north south alignment, has an average gradient of about 1:33, and was opened in 1923. At the time of opening it was the 7th longest such tunnel in the world.
We reached Arthur's Pass for around 4pm, where the train stopped for a while, departing at 4.20. There appeared to be a lot of construction work going on, so I a ask ed the staff and established that it was for widening and realignment of the State Highway.
The views were as spectacular as advertised, mountains, valleys, tunnels, snow, gorse, broom and cliffs sweeping past in a majestic panoramic vista of magnificence. There was an observation carriage on the train which was open to the elements which made it easier to enjoy the views and take photos without dirty windows spoiling the shots. At one point my camera's battery ran out, but I had taken the spare to the carriage with me so it was not an issue.
I think that the tunnels made the experience even more worthwhile, because you would have one view before entering, and then when came out the view had changed dramatically.
By the time we came out of the mountains, the sun had disappeared behind clouds, and the commentary had started to talk about the weather in Canterbury. Of specific note was that the winds carrying water from the tasman sea had last their water over the mountains, and the air compressed as it came back down the other side, generating high winds, which are known locally as 'Norwesters', presumably due to The prevailing direction that they come from!
I checked prices in Australia for a new phone, thinking it might be cheaper, but they seemed to be comparable so I decided to get the replacement in Christchurch after all.
Canterbury is the flattest region of new Zealand I'd been to, the only things interrupting the views were the trees that had been planted as wind breaks for the fields. We passed through Rolleston, one of the fastest growing areas of the region, having gone from a population of 900 in 1990, to 9000 in 2012, and arrived at our destination 10 minutes early.
I retrieved my bag and hopped in a taxi, as despite being early there was only 30 minutes to get to the hostel before check-in closed. The display on the car dashboard was in Japanese, so I asked the driver if he was Japanese, and he advised me that he was Korean and couldn't actually read it! Fortunately for him each item also had a picture so it wasn't an issue for him.
I got checked in to Kiwi House and sorted out my luggage, then went to make some tuna noodles at around 7.15. I sat down beside some Japanese people, learning that there were lots of Japanese people in the hostel. I tried to speak some in Japanese, and when I got to words I couldn't recall, I impressed them by referring to kun'yomi and on'yomi readings for the kanji. During this discourse, they learn the word from me , which made them more impressed, as it's not a word they had seen before.
The two people I spoke with most were (kaori) and £ (ikuma), and they wrote their names in my notebook for me.
After that I retired to the dorm, and went to bed. As I drifted off to sleep, I could feel the bed swaying, but I wasn't sure if it was earthquake or imagination or just the sleeping people below me moving.