http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , New Zealand , South Island , West Coast , Punakiaki en-us Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:10:57 +0000 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:10:57 +0000 HelloFrom the glaciers in the West we made our way up the moody Coast which changed from thick cloud to bright sunshine in the space of a few minutes The rugged coastline is almost desolate not many tourists venture over this way and only 1 of the population lives here so at times we began to feel like the only ones in New ZealandIt was a long windey drive but each new view of the rocky http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-360185.html The Drive Down the West Coast of the South Island in nz is beautiful. It has such a strange combination of rugid beaches with vast Mountains boarding next to them weird heh We stopped in a place called westport Where I decided to try and put some of my training from Australia in surfing to the shores of New Zealand. I went to an area called Tauranga Bay well known to be a good venue for surfing http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-134710.html 291206In the morning we went into Nelson and had a coffee at one of the cafes and had a walk round the shops. It is a lovely place and it was very hot so made it more enjoyable.After that we decided to have a drive up the coast but on the way we stopped at Richmond because there was a market on. It was big and we walked about for around an hour. The only thing we bought was a couple of books http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-117244.html Our first stop today was Cape Foulwind. Not much here other than a path along the coast and a lighthouse. After just a few minutes we left again.Our second stop was at the Tauranga Bay to sea a Seal colony. Here there were many seals pups and adults males and females sleeping and playing. There weren't many in the water as there was a huge swell so there was plenty of surf and large crashing wa http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-106276.html I decided to stop over for a night at Punakaiki to split the journey from Nelson to Franz Josef. Punakaiki is in the Paparoa National Park and has some famous pancake rocks and blowholes. These are formations of thinly bedded limestone that has been carved over the years by the sea into interesting shapes. I soon realised that the west coast is very wet and windy a complete change from sunny A http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-106205.html Wednesday I had decided I had done enough walking the last few days and it was time to sit down to view the scenery so I got a 3hour water taxi up the Able Tasman coast in the morning and saw some seals including a baby and split apple rock. The coast line is similar to golden bay forests on big hills.I then started my 300km journey down the west coast. I stopped of at Buller Gorge with its lo http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-97238.html After leaving Arthur's Pass we headed North on the West Coast up to Punakiaki and Paparoa National Park. We set up my brand new tent which worked great and then walked out to the beach to watch the sun set over the sea. On Sunday we walked the short path out to look at the pancake rocks in Paparoa. After that walk we had a muffin at a cafe where the funny looking bird was walking through all the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-76101.html After leaving the pancake rocks we hiked up one last trail before heading back home. Quite fun due to having to cross a river and hiking up some steep sections of rocks and streams. The river was low so we didn't have to cross too large of one but we did have to walk through the freezing snow melt at one part for a bit. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-75806.html You join us on a very significant day in our travels. Myself Mike and Jonny the original 3 have been travelling for 150 days now Whenever I tell anyone this they always knock me for my enthusiasm over this number. I'm sorry but when we were around 50 days travelling I said to Mike 'hey it's almost 50 days gone of our adventure. We should celebrate somehow'. Then we worked out we'd mis http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-73657.html Yes we were finally on the road touring around New Zealand at our leisure. Our first stop was at the town of Hanmer springs. The drive there was a bit crap. It was really drizzly and foggy so we didn't get to see much of the surrounding countryside. The main reason for going to Hanmer Springs the clue is in the name was to experience the amazing hot springs they have there. The day as I've alre http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-73334.html Following a few more days of drunkeness and cultures in Wellington my favourite NZ city so far where I meet up with a few guys from the orchard and even the owners I finally made it across the Cook Strait to the South Island. The crossing is well known as being highly dangerous but also beautiful as you enter into the Marlborough Sounds. This means 'fijords' for those of you as uniformed a http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-64260.html It had been raining in the night looked like it wouldn't let up for the rest of the day it was like the Greymouth we remembered.We left Global Village Backpackers with a new passenger Randi who was travelling in the same direction wanted to stay at The Old Slaughterhouse having had a similar recommendation to us.After stocking up on grub at the supermarket we headed north along the west co http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-55451.html Kia OraWe made it to Punakaiki home of the pancake rocks where we are at our second WWOOFing stay although it doesn't really feel like work. Punakiaki is a small town that borders Paparoa National Park which contains 30000 hectacres of pure untouched New Zealand landscape. The landscape varies greatly within the national park varying from lush subtropical rainforests with giant Nikau Palm http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-43716.html I heard about this great hostel from a couple at Kinloch lodge so I booked two nights here before I left. I wanted to visit Punakiki because it has a rugged coastline and the famous Blow Holes where the pounding surf surges through vertical holes in the sandstone and blows up into the sky. Quite dramatic.Anyway I arrived yesterday to a rainforest retreat surrounded by native forest and 8 minut http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-42973.html From Greymouth up to WestportThis has proved to be not as bad as the prospect looked. The road is not too hilly the weather is not too wet in fact it has been dry nearly all the time it has not been cold in fact we are now avoiding a very hot sun out there and the welcome has been just as good as everywhere.We even swam in the sea and it is not too cold. We swam in the Nile river which seeme http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-39054.html Det borjar lacka mot jul och vi maste bestamma oss for vad vi da ska hitta pa. En vandring kallad Inland Packtrack lockar genom att erbjuda overnattning under ett flera hundra meter langt grottoverhang dar vi kan ata julmiddag. Darfor aker vi langs vastkusten ner till Punakaiki dar denna vandring utgar ifran. Pa vagen stannar vi ett par timmar i Westport dar vi koper julklappar och julmat.Doc http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-33843.html Punakiaki is famous for its 'pancake' rocks. So called because the limestone rocks have weathered to resemble stacks of pancakes. At high tide the sea is forced through blowholes in the rocks to give spectacular effects. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-33666.html It's stopped raining The grey clouds are gone and it is all blue skies. In some ways that is typical as we were left the glaciers today but it can't be helped.We are in Punakiaki now which is further north up the coast. We are in this really cool hostel that is situated in the rainforest. It is not one building but lots of small cabins each with its own kitchen and stuff. The views out of the win http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-33561.html 22.11.05It was another sunny day so we planned to lay on Kaiteriteri beach but it was a little breezy so we moved on. Along the way we had a look at Little Kaiteriteri beach which was pretty. We carried on to a little town called Murchinson where we went to have a look at Bullers Gorge which has the longest swing bridge in New Zealand. We went across the bridge 5 just to walk over or 35 for o http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-28971.html Rich and I got up early and met Alison Andrersquos wife who cooked us a delicious breakfast featuring bacon and eggs homemade muesli with freshlymade yoghurt tomatoes from the garden. I tried some Vegemite on toast VERY salty and definitely a taste Irsquom not likely to acquire. Then our fellow guests Penny and Greg arose and it turned out they were from Santa Barbara so we were an http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/West-Coast/Punakiaki/blog-28606.html