After that unpleasant interaction with the local Keas, we were challenged with our first really wet day at the West Coast. Just after packing up the sky explained to us how it helps forming these fantastic green bush worlds all around us. All it takes is “adding water”. And it does this in good quantities. We soon dropped our plan to stay on another campsite this night in favour of getting soaked on one of the walks around Franz Joseph Glacier. Nothing better than a real wet/cold walk if you know that there is a hot shower waiting for you. My fist night in a backpackers in New Zealand (since my first trip 10 years ago)! Beside the hot shower there are other nice prospects: Free soup in the evening and breakfast included, heating in the room, wifi, spa pool, a place to let our wet gear dry… Some luxury enjoyed in the right moment is simply great!
And so is our walk! In two hours less than the suggested 5 hours we walk a bushy, adventurous path through the forest and climb the valley towards the shrinking Franz Joseph Glacier. As Louie puts it: “This is the perfect walk for me: Roots, steps, rocks, in an alpine rain forest and with a rewarding goal”. The treat in the end is a small viewing platform with (on a good day) impressive outlook to the glacier and the peaks that frame the steep valley. On a day like today, we try to get a few pictures of this impressive piece of world, hastily eat our snacks without getting too cold and then start our descent back the way we came.
The night in the hostel is warm cosy, topped with good food and baking bread- our snack for the coming two days or so and preparation for our trip to the Welcome Flat hut.
We are super excited that we are turning this little West Coast dream into reality: A trip to the Welcome Flat Hut. The 5 hours/ 18km walk in feels rather cold and long as light rain is turning into light snow. The dense forest and fog deprives us from potentially fantastic views and lulls us into a good walking pace. Finally, we hear water splashing and voices- and around another corner appears a fancy DOC hut. That’s were we stay. But my interest is on the hot spring that hides in the nearby bush, because that’s were I m gonna stay ☺. And boy those pools are awesome! Have you ever seen something better than that? Hot water bubbling out of the ground and collected in some large basins, deep enough to lay in it and getting flashed by the thick bush and snow topped peaks all around you. We spent at least 2 ½ hours in those pools that evening. Absolutely freaking amazing!!
Next day starts with another extended soak, continues with another long walk and finishes with a drive to Ross and a night in the quirky pup “Historic Empire Hotel”. Life is good!
