Fishing

I meant to stop for coffee to help keep me alert on my drive but I got sidetracked by the salt in the air at Hokitika and followed my nose to the beach instead. The high tide line was covered in contortions of bleached driftwood. Some of the organic shapes were sculptures all by themselves. Some had been helped by humans. Or perhaps mermaids. Or maybe if you wait long enough, the sea can do this all by itself.

I caught the train back across the Alps and spent almost four hours on the open-air viewing platform. Just do it, if ever you are lucky enough to get the chance. I decided at almost the last minute to get off at a small stop before Christchurch (where, luckily, two other people had asked to get off - trains here have request stops) even though my backpack in the cram-full luggage car was checked through to Christchurch. It meant asking a guard to try to fish it out during a two-minute stop. I know what would have happened in Britain had I asked an equivalent favour. But here the staff couldn't have been kinder or more helpful. They said if they couldn't find it within two minutes they'd take it through to Christchurch and look after it for me to collect tomorrow. Which would have been fine, but out of over 100 heaped-up bags the guard found mine. I told him he'd get 5 stars on TripAdvisor but I want to give them to him here too. What a difference kind people make.