http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , New Zealand , South Island , West Coast en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 11:02:13 +0000 Thu, 23 May 2013 11:02:13 +0000 9. November 12 von Takaka nach GreymouthWir brechen bei schnstem Reisewetter beizeiten in Takaka auf. Wir mssen nochmals ber die Takaka Hills mit ihren vielen Kurven. Das bedeutet schon zu Beginn eine Stunde Fahrt fr etwa 60 km Weg. Wir tanken erst in Motueka weil wir ja nicht den zustzlichen Benzinbalast mitschleppen wollen.In Motueka wird dann aufgefllt und dann gehts weiter http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-755926.html West Coast TravelsOne of our long planned goals was to see the glaciers on the west coast. They are a good days travel from Nelson across through the center of the island and then down the coast about a 1200 kilometer round trip. Much of this path was new to us and as is true of most parts of New Zealand mind bogglingly beautiful. We stayed in the town of Franz Joseph near the glacier. It i http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Franz-Josef/blog-745655.html GLACIERLAND TO WESTPORT We decided to slow our pace of travel and moved on north stopping at a town called ROSS.ltspangt There were big gold strikes here in the mid 1800s and we went around a one hour heritage walk around the old mining area.ltspangt The visitors centre will show you how to pan for gold and you can buy pans and try out your gold prospecting for real in the local creeks http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-720347.html httpwww.nzonline.org.nznzodestinationsgreymouthGreymouth is the largest town on the West Coast and one of the oldest with many heritage buildings. The area has a history of gold and coal mining which has opened access to remote areas now used for tramping mountain bike riding and whitewater rafting.ltspangtClick here to create a NZ itineraryltspangt ltspangtUntil the late 1 http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-714952.html httpwww.nzonline.org.nznzodestinationshokitikaVisit Hokitika Westland NZltspangtHokitika is known for its heritage and history arts and outdoor adventure activities. Founded in 1864 during the Gold Rush era it was one of New Zealands most populous settlements by 1886. Mining for gold and coal as well as forestry sustained the town for over 100 years until the industries declined http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-714951.html httpwww.nzonline.org.nznzodestinationsfoxglacier ltspangtFox Glacier is fed by four alpine glaciers at high altitude and descends 13 km 8 miles into lush rainforest. Many thousand years ago the glacier extended to the coast and its movement has created flat glacial moraine valleys and lakes. ltspangtClick here to create a NZ itinerary http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Fox-Glacier/blog-714947.html httpwww.nzonline.org.nznzodestinationsfranzjosefglacier The Franz Josef Glacier is a 12 km long river of ice that descends from alpine snow fields through a forested landscape to end within 10 km of the Tasman Sea. It has long been popular for icewalking adventure that provides fantastic views of the Southern Alps including AorakiMount Cook. ltspangtClick here to create a NZ itinera http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-714944.html My Aussie mate Jeffrey had never visited mainland New Zealand in his many years on this earth despite his home town of Sydney being located on the West Island of NZ He39s accumulated enough Kiwi and temporarily Kiwilandlocated buddies during his travels around the rest of the world though and we all persuaded him it was about time he visited. As I was about to leave this wonderful country http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-695703.html We had some great time since the last entry. The weather got worse though however we expected it so no disappointment there..We tend to arrive somewhere and find some great walks which are usually free. New ZealandTourism is trying to make so much money on tourists it is unbelievable. One of the walks was a walk round Punakaiki and Pororari River. You can hire a kayak there as well. The look of http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Hokitika/blog-692517.html 25.01.2012An diesem Tag fuhren wir mittags ber Wanaka an die Westkste. 26.01.2012Da das Wetter leider nicht mitspielte und die Vorhersage auch nicht besonders gut war fuhren wir an diesem Tag frh morgens ber Haast Fox und FranzJosefGletscher bis kurz nach Greymouth. Es regnete den ganzen Tag ber und die Sicht war auch nicht gut. 27.01.2012Da es die ganze Nacht und den halben Tag du http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-682682.html After saying our goodbyes to Elspeth our gracious hostess we left the little orchard on the estuary at 942AM fortytwo minutes past our planned departure time. We had relative clear skies for our drive ahead to the West Coast of the South Island. The state highway sliced through the Kahurangi National Park in a couple of places as it left the orchard and pasture land and rose up through the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Buller-Gorge/blog-621128.html Day 15 Monday the 28th of MarchSo far we have ticked off 20 of the 101 Must Dos for Kiwis at least in the South Island anyhow and all over the last 15 days.Today we ticked off number 20... the Buller Gorge.Thanks for being so patient waiting for the latest blog. We had written them but simply had no time nor service in order to post them. But now we are settled in the Abel Tasman town o http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Buller-Gorge/blog-590111.html Day 14 Sunday the 27th of MarchOnly one week left of our honeymoon. If only we could win the lottery then we could be free to roam the world in campers. Its official we truly believe camper van holidays are the only holidays to have. So much funFrom Lake Mahinapua we drove to Hokitika to see the glass blowing studio apparently its a must if youre passing through the town. Being on http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-589894.html Back again and what an experience we had Saturday. Before that Friday night in Franz Joseph we enjoyed the local spa for over an hour despite the constant rain. Come to find out a prominent feature of a rain forest such as the West Coast is isRain It had been raining most of the day and then most of the night also. We were a bit concerned our hike up to the glacier would be wet but we wer http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-587540.html We had read that there was a little natural hot springs area somewhere across the Lewis Pass. There were no signs to it but it was a certain distance past the sign to the nature reserve. So we kept our eyes peeled for the sign and pulled off into the picnic area to see what we could find. It was only a short distance from the car park apparently so we headed along the river trying to avoid being e http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Westport/blog-586713.html Feb. 19 2011 Franz Josef GlacierToday we got up and going quickly. We had arrived in a DoC campsite and pitched the tents in the previous evening. The previous day began with a drive to see the Pancake Rocks. These are a strange phenomenon on the west coast where some rocks look like thin giant pancakes stacked atop of one another. Very interesting if somewhat bizarre to see.We left hav http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Franz-Josef/blog-580673.html Our first stop on the West Coast was Punakaiki for its Pancake rocks. One of those things you see in the tourist brochures and it looks kind of neat. Plus it was pretty much the farthest we could realistically drive in a day from Wharariki Beach. The distances in New Zealand arent that far compared to what were used to but the roads are so twistyturny its tough to travel much f http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-580636.html Cest totalement conquis et transis par la beaut de lAbel Tasman Park que nous reprenons la route en dbut de matine. Rose prend en main avec aisance notre nouveau bolide et une fois de plus lasphalte nous droule son tapis gristre sous un soleil de plomb.Notre tape du jour passe entre 2 parcs nationaux Kahurangi National Park et Nelson Lakes National Park. Comme pressenti le http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-579381.html Sunday 30th January Thursday February 3rd 2011I am sitting here trying to be inspired by the view out the window of our current couch surf. Or the view that was outside this window this morning as this evening the cloud has descended and the rain is about to start. We are staying with a wonderful family just south of Ross and they have views of snow covered Mt Cook and Mt Tasman plus other http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-566362.html Wednesday 26th Saturday 29th January 2011Oparara Basin Karamea Bluff may be lower than the Lewis Pass but at least there is a sign at the top telling you how high it is We passed over the bluff not long after leaving the Gentle Annie camp ground on our way north to the end of the road. The road peaked at 420m before winding back down to sea level.Karamea describes itself as 'off the beaten http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/blog-564091.html