A Hut by the River

As you can all tell, we haven't had a heck of a lot of free time for keeping everyone updated this last month. February has flown by as swift as a Pipipi, and now the time has come for us to bid farewell to Fox Glacier. But before we depart, we want to take this opportunity to tell of some of the special friends we've made here, our wonderful bosses and hosts here in Fox, Marlene and Alan.

These two are true West Coasters, as Marlene was born in Hokitika, and Alan has lived in Fox for over 40 years, after relocating here across the Southern Alps from Dunedin. Marlene is self taught master chef who used to work for Mt. Cook Snowplanes, a company that operated flights that would carry guests to the snowfields around New Zealand's highest peaks, before they relocated to the other side of the mountains. Alan is a jack-of-all-trades, who's worked as a postman, an engineer, a bushman, and a professional possum trapper. About ten years ago, they started operating a hotel & restaurant here in Fox, and about ten years after that, Kelcy & Matt showed up on their doorstep. Who can say how long our paths have been serendipitously intertwined, but we consider ourselves exceptionally fortunate to have had the chance to meet them.

Since our first meeting, these two have taken great care of us, providing us a wonderful place to live, offering us extraordinary flexibility in our work arrangement, and just making sure we've always had everything we needed while we've been here. But like anyone who owns their own business, what they enjoy most about it is getting away from it. This has to be especially true in the world of hospitality. On one such day last week, Alan was feeling a little antsy, and felt like getting away for the afternoon to his own slice of paradise, their hut on the Paringa River. And being the remarkably nice guy that he is, he invited us along.

The conversation was a little bit strained on the way, not because of any lack of familiarity among us all, but because the inside of a late-70's diesel Land Cruiser is about as conducive to conversation as the inside of a jet engine. But after 45 minutes of rumbling down windy Highway 6, we arrived at the tell-tale deer skull that marks so many hidden treasures the world round.

We turned onto a one-way gravel road that, after about 25 minutes, ended at the Paringa River. Only, we were supposed to be going to a hut (which we hadn't really worked out what exactly that meant), and there were no structures, inhabitable or otherwise, within sight. Well, our curiosity was quickly assuaged as Alan hopped out of the truck, locked in the hubs, and plunged us all into the river. We're not generally accustomed to vacation homes that can only be reached by jet boat or amphibious truck, but we were certainly intrigued in seeing how the Kiwis like to get away from it all.

After a few bends in the river and little bit of island hopping, we arrived at exactly where we were told we'd be going: a hut. Alan handmade this idyllic getaway for him and his gal using an old trailer bed. It's equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable trip to the river: a foam bed, a kitchen, a card table, a bathroom (complete with a heated shower), and a covered porch. Recalling the considerable lengths we had undergone to reach this spot, we were a little curious as to how he had managed to move the trailer to a small cleared patch surrounded by jungle and river on all sides. "With me Fordy Fordson!" he explained as he opened up the adjoining garage to reveal a beautiful old tractor, which must have been constructed with the same skill, reliability and seaworthiness as a late 70's Land Cruiser.

We spent a little while enjoying the peace and quiet of this secluded spot, while Alan showed us the deer trails through the bush behind the hut, or the channels in the river where you could catch trout and salmon, depending on the time of year. He treated us to a couple of beers while he did a bit of yard work, and soon we had to load up and head back to Fox.

At a glance, this tale recounts an ordinary day in rural Westland, a few acquaintances taking a break from work to get out and enjoy some sunshine. But something subtle also occurred, as someone who barely knows us and bears no obligation to us decided to share with us not only something that he made and treasures, but his time as well. And this is the kind of consideration and kindness that these two have shown us since we first walked through their door, which is greatly appreciated by a couple of Yanks a long way from home.

So with a pinch of sadness, a lot of excitement, and all the gratitude we can summon, we bid farewell to Fox Glacier!