2012.07.05:Levin to Fox Glacier/Levin到Fox冰河

離開換宿兩周的Levin
I left Levin where I did work exchange for 2 weeks.
我準備往南島前進 Fox Glacier! Fox冰河!
Ready heading South island to Fox Glacier!

在Kerikeri的朋友都說我真是個瘋狂的人 在冬天下南島?
My friends in Kerikeri thought I'm a crazy person who wanna down south in winter.
但是我在Levin的天氣還可以適應 且其實Fox Glacier的溫度其實都還不到零下 白天還維持著十度左右的溫度 即便有零下的時候 也是在半夜 室內都有暖氣 且誰會在那個時候出去(其實是有的 我抵達後才明白)?
But I'm quite happy with the weather in Levin.Actually the temperature in Fox Glacier isn't minus yet,it's around 10 degrees in daytime,the minus degree happens in midnight and it will be heated indoors.And who's gonna go out in midnite?(yes,there is.I realize after arrive)

5th July 早上六點半 Host family男主人Alex載著我到Levin南邊另一個鎮Paraparaumu(他在這裡工作)搭火車到Wellington
The host family took me to Paraparaumu train station where is south of Levin at 6:30 am on 5th July.I took train to Wellington from here.
搭的是Wellington地區的通勤火車 車上都是上班族
That was suburban train which connected to Wellington,full of office workers.
一小時後抵達Wellington車站
I arrived Wellington train station after an hour.
Wellington其實不是那麼冷 但是風的確比較大
It wasn't really cold at that moment,but it was really windy.
站裡滿是形色匆匆的深色套裝通勤族
The office workers wearing in dark are everywhere in the train station.
大家全都朝同一個方向前進 車站出口 所以非常整齊 沒有打結
All of them rushed  forward to the same direction-The Exit.It looked like an orderly ranks without any mass.
不同於台北車站是個瘋狂轉車區 全部的人走向所有可能移動的空間
It's totoally different from Taipei Main Station where is an CRAZY transfer zone,everyone is walking to everywhere in all different directions.
拖著行李的我覺得這景象非常有趣 以一個旅行中旁觀者的立場來說
I felt interesting about the sight,as a traveler's viewpoint.

5th July 12:45-13:20 Jetstar:Wellington-Christchurch

領完行李後發現放在包包裡的橄欖油跟楓糖漿流出來了!
After claimed my lugguage,I found the olive oil and maple sryup flew out!It's oily in my backpack!
邊處理這場災難邊等在Kerikeri認識的台灣朋友Even來機場碰面
I was cleaning the disaster while waiting a Taiwanese friend Even who I knew in Kerikeri.
基督城機場很多部分仍在整修 自從地震一年多來 整個基督城都還處在重建的狀態
Lot's of part in Christchurch airport is still remodeling.The whole city is still under construction after earthquake.
走出機場 出乎意料的不冷 我在南島的第一站比預期中溫暖許多
It was unexpectedly not cold outside of the airport!The first stop was warmer than I thought.
Even住機場附近 載我到附近吃華人區便宜的Fish n Chips
Even lives near airport,she took me to have cheap fish n chips in China town.
在紐西蘭旅行一陣子後 所有的朋友就會慢慢散落到南北島各地 漸漸的每個城市都會有朋友可以碰面 每到一個地方都有人可以敘舊 分享各自在旅途中的經歷 感覺非常好
After been traveling in NZ for a while,all my friends gradually spread to all the cities.And I could find people I knew in each city,sharing the experiences during our journies.I feel very happy about this.

在基督城短暫停留一個晚上 隔天早上搭TranzAlpine往西岸Greymouth 再轉巴士南下到Fox Glacier
I stayed in CHC for a nite,got TranzAlpine scenic train to Greymouth and transfered bus down south to Fox Glacier.
Christchurch市中心大多還處於維修封閉的狀態 我住的backpacker很多人都只是來轉機或巴士 我的一日室友們都是late check in,early check out
CHC CBD is nearly closed for rebuilding.The backpacker I stayed got quite many residences stay for transfer flight or bus or train.
結果這天晚上dorm裡有個男生鼾聲真的如雷 我有兩個小時不斷被雷聲吵醒
There was a guy snoring like thunder in our dorm,I couldn't sleep for 2 hours...
隔天一大早起來 同房的人幾乎都已經check out完成
I checked out at 6:50 am,I was the last one in my dorm...
門口站著六個人在清晨的空氣中 一起等TranzAlpine的接駁車
There were 6 people standing in the cold air waiting for shuttle bus to train station in front of the backpackers.

6th July 8:15-12:45 TranzAlpine:Christchurch-Greymouth

我穿得一身暖用來迎接基督城的早晨與即將面臨的西岸冰河
I made myself warm for the cold temperature in CHC and the glacier in West Coast.
興奮的搭上火車 非常明智的在backpacker廚房為自己準備了一杯熱騰騰的咖啡上車 在低溫中捧著咖啡是發自內心覺得幸福
I was excited for thr train,and prepared a hot coffee for myself in the backpacker's kitchen which was very wise.It's really happy holding hot coffee in the early morning.
白天天氣不但晴朗而且炎熱 我真是個幸運的傢伙
I'm a lucky person,It's sunny and warm in the day time.

車廂非常舒適 我的車廂是四人對坐 中間有桌子
The carriage was very comfortable,the one I stayed got booth with sharing table.
還好火車只有約半滿 很舒適(上次搭北島的Overlander全車客滿 有點擠)
Luckily it was just half full in the carriages(it was full in Overlander in North island last time,bit crowded)
火車出發不久 我就看見遠處連綿高山頂上積雪的景象 對於南島居民來說 這只不過是再平凡不過的畫面
Later after departure,I've seen mountains with covered snow on the top.That was just normal sight for residence here.
但對於來自副熱帶國家的我 四個多小時的車程我一直處於異常興奮的狀態
But for me who came from subtropical country,I was excited during the 4.5 hours driving.
且我才剛看完魔戒三部曲 感覺好像火車駛入魔戒的場景 還可以想像山下有成群的馬匹在奔跑
And I just watched Lord of The Ring I~III,I felt that we were approaching into the scene of the movie and I could imagine that there are horses running on the foot of the mountains.

火車在幾個車站會暫停五分鐘 我想暫停的本意是讓有抽菸的乘客可以偷空抽菸
The train stopped at several stops for 5 minutes,originally it was smoke time for passengers
不過旅客都會下車瘋狂的拍照 五分鐘對我來說根本不夠...
but most of tourists would get off the train to take pictures.5 minutes is not enough to me at all...
在Arthurs Pass Station 全線最高 海拔約七百多公尺的車站 地上充滿積雪 車廂還事前廣播要大家小心走路不要跌倒 列車長不希望有人帶著受傷的腳踝回車廂
There was lots of ice on the ground at Arthurs Pass Station which is above sea level 737 meters.They announced in advance reminding everyone to be careful for the slippery iced floor,they didn't hope anyone back to the carriage with broken ankle.
喔 那雪真的非常滑 我也差點在蹲在月台上拍鐵軌時滑下去...呵呵
It was exactly slippery!I almost fell down from the platform when I was taking the pictures for the track.
不過這一天天氣非常晴朗 非常適合拍照 空中的雲像棉花糖般捲的非常美
Though the sunny weather is perfect for pictures,the cloud in the sky looked like marshmallow.

在紐澳 火車遠比巴士貴上很多
The train ticket is much more expensive than bus in NZ and AU.
但是對我來說 火車沿線景色不但與公路不同 車廂裡的體驗也遠比巴士值回票價
But the experience in the carriage and the scenery along the train route is very valuable for me.
所以經過重重計算 我還是決定走最貴的路線 紐幣280從北島Levin一路輾轉經過各種交通工具直到南島Fox Glacier
so after calculating precisely,I still decided to go for the expensive way which cost me 280NZ dollars by taking many different tranportations from Levin to Fox Glacier.

6th July 13:30-17:40 Intercity Bus:Greymouth-Fox Glacier

本來以為這趟巴士只是一般公路行駛 準備在車上休息睡覺
I was going to sleep on the bus.
結果Tasman Sea濱海公路沿途許多沙灘湖泊 駕駛先生沿路還會不停介紹各種景點背景
but the highway along the Tasman Sea was beautiful with lots of beaches and lakes,and the driver kept introducing the sceneries.
特別是時間接近傍晚時
Especially around the evening moment
粉紅色和橘紅色的光線 照在連綿不絕又蓊鬱的山上
the pink and the color between orange and red light,lightened  the lush moutains
在巴士上映入眼簾的是 狹窄道路的兩旁是近乎熱帶狀態的大樹
what I saw on the bus was the narrow road with tropical big trees on both sides.
視線沿著路直到末端 正前方聳立著積雪的高山
watch straight till the end of the road,the high mountain with snow covered the moutain top was standing in the end of the road.
再往上則是清澈的藍天
looked up,that was the clear sky
巴士正朝著那裏前進
the bus was driving toward to there.
這種景觀 讓我捨不得在車上睡著
how could I sleep in front of this amazing sight?
只是前一天晚上沒睡好(鼾聲真的如雷...)
but I didn't sleep well last night(thunder in the drom)
早上搭火車太過興奮 巴士上又溫暖 所以還是睡著了 駕駛一說話就又醒來 怕錯過短暫的風景
so I still fell asleep cos I was too excited in the morning and the warm on the bus.Once the driver spoke,I woke up for new scenery.
過了Franz Joseph是一連串的山路 路邊還有許多殘冰(不是殘雪 上次下雪是兩周前)夜晚的低溫讓沒曬到太陽的地方維持低溫
It's a rugged mountain road after Franz Joseph,lots of ice on the road side(not snow,the latest snow was 2 weeks ago).

17:40巴士準時抵達Fox Glacier
Our bus arrived Fox Glacier on time at 17:40.
我要換宿的地方就在眼前 Fox Glacier Inn
Fox Glacier Inn where I'm going to work exchange was just right in front of my eyes.