Backpacking in New Zealand: A Night Out In Franz Josef

After the Franz Josef Trek, it was time for a really really chilled out evening. This began by getting freshened up and dried up in the wetness of the Glow Worm Cottages. 

Then there was free soup to be had at the hostel kitchen. Excellent home brew and well needed in the cold climate – probably the coldest climate I’d experienced since leaving the UK in 2009. A chilling well needed preview for Antarctica.

My Israeli friends Alex and Natali sipped soup with me and also gave me a slice of their pizza, which was kind. Alex then made some hot wine for us in the cold chill. 

It was hot red wine, flavoured with apple and cinnamon and was gorgeous. I thank them a lot for their hospitality.

We realised we had a lot to talk about, our countries had some things in common. Northern Ireland, having some residents who bizarrely don’t even believe in its existence yet continue to use its amenities and benefits. Palestine believing themselves to have some kind of duty to constantly bomb the Jewish state of Israel with its many suicide bombers from the Gaza Strip. We chatted about both.

We popped into “the local” (well two nights in a row) for our free Glow Worm Shot yet again, and our Happy Hour beers.

We savoured the friendly atmosphere in there.

Alex and Natali.

Natali and me.

Alex and me.

The band that came on, I think their name was Schitsophonic or Schitsophrenic.

Soon though, it was a night over in Franz Josef, time for both Israel and Northern Ireland to go their opposite ways. I would have a stop over at Wanaka and the Salmon Farm before hitting Queenstown. Alex and Natali were headed for Wanaka to stay over there.