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Published: January 12th 2007
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Over the next few days we would spend most of our time driving along highway 6 down the west coast of the south Island hopping in and out of the car to take in the popular tourist attractions and lookouts sign posted along the way.
The ferry from Wellington to Picton was a lot longer than expected, about 4 hours. The tourist maps we had seen not conveying the distance between the two Islands. I still don’t know how far it is between them but it must be double the distance from Calais to Dover.
Our first destination was Abel Tasmin National Park. Jewel in the crown of the south Island and guaranteed to be sunny. The drive there was good fun, windiest so far, we seem to find them in ever country we visit! After getting off the ferry in Picton, we drove along the coastal road, at first passing farms and small country towns, an hour or so in the scenery became more familiar with coastal towns resembling Teignmouth and Dawlish appearing along the way. Our home for the next couple of days was Motueka where we had read would be a good base for exploring the
national park. The town fanned out from the main street which was filled with shops and conveniences. Our campsite was at the far end and once we had set up the tent we headed back into town where we found a really good Thai Restaurant.
The next day we went back into town on a mission. Our mission was to use the internet to update the blog, which by now was falling ever further behind. After spending some quality time with the computer we got talking with the bloke behind the counter and after a pleasant conversation he recommending a walk to do that afternoon. Nothing too strenuous, just a nice stroll with a good view.
Our trip to Gorge viewpoint was to be the most eventful and certainly the most memorable trip traveling down to Queenstown. About an hour or so away from Motueka and already having been told the road would be bad, we soon realized that the road was far worse. A white knuckle rollercoaster ride worse. A charge would not have been too unexpected for the thrills of a forty five minute bone shaker of a drive across steep dirt roads. An adventure in
itself. Ask Danny about the time he drove in Crete (I remember at one point Dan closing his eyes through the fear plummeting over the sheer drops beside the road. And he was the one driving!!) Things didn’t get any easier with our walk as after an easy enough start, weaving our way through the forest, the navigating over huge boulders and a steep climb up to the lookout was hard work. The clearing at the top of our climb was in fact about forty meters of granite laid out in front of us like piano keys. All you could see after this was sky. I carefully walked to the edge and looked over and felt a rush : S bit of a wobbly knee moment!! A sheer cliff fell way to the valley floor below…. With a bit of encouragement Jo got to about a meter away from the edge to experience the view. I don’t know if she really did manage to see the view but I was surprised she got as close as she did!! After a couple of photos we headed back.
The journey back along the road was just as memorable as the drive
there. A huge eagle came swooping up the valley beside the road and was gliding along next to us. Jo went for the camera and in the excitement and trying to help I managed to trap her hand in the electric window!! At first I thought Jo’s yelps were because I wasn’t getting the window open quick enough for her to take the photo so again in the excitement and trying to help, I undid the window only to fire it up again!! Not a happy bunny!! The drive back to the campsite was understandably quiet!!
In Abel we did further visits to the Hawkes Point, spectacular views of Tasmin bay and Kaiteriteri where we found the strong winds far to much to enjoy what would otherwise have been an idyllic day on the beach. The remaining journey down to Queenstown was a bit of a damp squib with our visits to Franz Josef & Fox Glacier being washed out and any real appreciation of the views being obstructed by the weather. However the drive down was clear and sunny and we got some great views of the coast from the Irimahuwhero viewpoint and at the Pancake Rock attraction
in Punakaiki. Our biggest disappointment was our two hour detour to Jackson Bay where although we knew it was hopeful thinking the poor weather had left the beaches bare of any of the famed seal lions or views of passing Hectors Dolphins.
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