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Published: March 13th 2010
Having done a whole glacier day yesterday, instead of the half day I'd planned I've stayed in fox for another day giving me chance to see lake matheson and do some laundry, the hostel scuppered all my plans by doing my laundry for me, it arrived back on my bunk this evening washed and dried, even the dry sac it had been packed in which makes me alittle worried, but it meant I had nothing to do this afternoon which turned well in the end.
This morning I took my life into my own hands and borrowed a bike from the hostel to take me the 2km to lake matheson, the mirror lake. To say the bike was badly maintained was an understatement. I don't look after my bike but this one had, no breaks, and sporadic sticking brakes, gears that slipped and a seat that was half missing. It was a challenge. I truly hoped when I abandonned it at the lake someone would steal it and I could walk back, but fate was not smiling on me. Much as the bike was a pain the ride itself was exceptional, the road was straight and flat down the flood plain of the fox, with tree lined mountains on all sides. The sun was beating down and there was nothing infront of me but expanse. It was just so free you felt like you could go on forever.
But I stopped at the lake, famous for it's reflection of mount cook, an above and below view. Unfortunatly for me the mountain was shrouded in cloud and refused to be reflected. The walk around the lake was nice, all in the rainforest, but a bit too structured for my taste gravel paths and viewing platforms dictated your pace, direction and views. That said it was a nice way to spend a morning and the views were spectacular of the snow capped mountains in the distance.
When I returned this afternoon I was at a complete loss as to what to do, I pottered around town, the 2 shops, liked at the menus for dinner and generally felt that I had nothing to do, this really is a bit of a one glacier town. Eventually with nothing else to do I decided to do the 20 minute horseshoe walk up the road. I was feeling diheartened when I got there, another gravel track more dictation. But I was wrong. . .
The walk itself was dull, the rainforest was much the same as I had seen elsewhere, but a small glacial creek next to the path peaked my interest and I hoped there would be someplace for a paddle.
The path and stream diverged after about 10 minutes and again I was feeling dispondent when I noticed a small path leading of in the direction of the stream, I totally paused before wandering of into the undergrowth but I'm so glad I did, this initially gravel path soon degraded to a leaf matter one and in the end was little more than an animal track but it was enchanting, and I mean that in a mystical sense. At every turn I imagined being whisked away by elves or fairysthe trees closed in around me as I treked across fallen logs and gushing streams, I was pulled and, convinced that this was a magical path that had opened just for me, half way along I found a waterfall, green moss covered boulders blocked of Icy clear pools of cascading water storming from the top to placid eddies at the bottom, I paddled.
But the path still drew me on deeper into the forest, the ferns all shades from green to brown the same as at home but bigger, even some as trees, the floor was soft and springy with decomposing leafs and the darkness of the vegetation canopy was broken by stark, piercing rats of light.
All good things come to an end and the enticement of the path finally brought me to an opening in the forest, a bog opened up before me the light so bright after the dark green of the forest. Tall spiky cacti and scrub like bush filled the valley floor and the green tree cover hills towered above me in this place that was there just for me, silence ruled as the hills blocked all outside noise and the sun beat down free from wind sheltered buy the prehistoric plants and surrounding hills.
It was magical.
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Greg
non-member comment
RIP BB
Ok, what have you done with Bill Bryson??