Flood Tide

From Wanaka to Fox Glacier

An early start, we're up with the sun

The hills glow eerily in the early morning light

Breakfast on the lakeshore, pink in the sky

Seagulls on the prowl, don't let crumbs fall.

The bus arrives, luggage loaded on board

A seat by the window, we've a long way to go

Out past Mount Iron, then off to the North

Winding round Lake Hawea, looks choppy and cold

First stop Makarora, time for tea and a wee

Then back on the highway that took 35 years to build

Winding a course up through Haast Pass

Clouds hang low in the valley, threatening and dark

Crossing rivers, streams, gullies, falls and creeks

Bright yellow signs proclaiming their names

Surrounded by native rainforest, ancient and strong

Farmland, buildings, animals and people rarely in view

The clouds lift, the road turns back to the Tasman Sea

Waves crash on the shore, driftwood strewn on the beach

The road climbs, Knights Point Lookout comes and goes

Don't look down, the cliffs fall away steeply to the sea

Time to stretch our legs again at Lake Paringa

Brightly coloured tents pitched close to the shore

The rain is back, the wind blows the trees sideways

Giant ferns seem to dominate the view from the bus

Signs of life, we pass a salmon farm and cafe

Whitebait and honey advertised for sale by the road

A patch of blue in the sky but no mountains in view

The road winds on, my sense of direction is gone

A house, roses in bloom, the first one for miles

Hitchhikers by the road, the wait could be long

A tree stands out on the skyline, the sky clears again

A glimpse of the mountains, the snow looks bright

One more twist of the road, another Fox River to cross

The bridge constructed to withstand spring floods

The water flows aqua, rock flour makes it shine

Journey complete, Welcome to Glacier Country!

Happy Travels

Liz T