http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oceania , New Zealand , South Island , Westport en-us Fri, 24 May 2013 01:26:05 +0000 Fri, 24 May 2013 01:26:05 +0000 We had the morning to relax on the beach and get some sunbathing in before the chill of the South Island sets in further down the coast. The drive to Westport took about 4 hours so we had a tiptop icecream stop half way in a town called Mercherson. Westport is a small coal mining town but after dinner we headed back on the bus towards the coast for a walk. It went dark really quickly but the path http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-776328.html Had a great walk yesterday just souhth of Bleinheim walked for about 2 hrs through the grazing land of aworking farm so very different to my previous walks the bush. Very hot abouth 28C. It was quiet all I could hear was the sound of seed pos bursting open in the heat.Then drove through mile up on mile of grapevines. SatNav told me to turn left in 123km which seemed to take forever. Thought I wou http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-757700.html Outside its raining New Zealand Fashion that is to say its heavy and warm. So its a good time to update you on our travels.Lets go back to that car park in Wellington after a surprisingly good nights sleep we were up early to catch the 8am ferry to the South Island. Although we had some trepidation about this crossing given its reputation it was in fact remarkably smooth and the journey thro http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-689401.html Efter hyggelig morgenmad sammen med Marianne og Jrgen pakkede vi sammen efter 3 dage i Franz Josef. Dagens etape bd p ca. 290 km blandet krsel med ml i Westport. Undervejs blev der spist frokost i det fri der var til at komme til for sandflies og vi gjorde holdt i Hokitika hvor der slges smyker lavet af den specielle new zealandske grnne jadesten og ved de smukke og speci http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-684966.html When we arrived in Greymouth it was once again dark and hard to really see what the small west coast town looked like. We dropped the girls off at the hostel checked into a hotel and immediately looked for a bar to have a drink and celebrate our conquering of a glacier. After walking around for what seemed like an hour on a single street we finally settled on the Coal Face restaurant stone grill. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-647258.html Thursday 2nd December 2010 Nelson WestportFirst morning with Kane and it was time to break a few hearts. We were booked on the bus over a week ago but those on the reserve list sat nervously awaiting their name. Almost all got on but a couple had to get back off when there were others on the list above them at the second pick up.A packed bus set off and then we were treated to the Kane wake http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-565503.html Day 10810922nd23rd DecemberThis was our final day with the van and we needed to get to Christchurch to drop it off the next day. However when we had been driving to Westport we had spotted a sign for a Seal Colony worth a look we thought so before we started driving to Christchurch we stopped there for a bit. It was fantastic. Its pup season at this time of year and down on the rocks was http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-563828.html In the afternoon of the 19th July we arrive on Kiwi soil to be greeted by sheer cold a sharp contrast from the humid climate of tropical Cairns. We check into the Base hostel in central Christchurch to begin our Kiwi Experience the next morning and the ever so familiar time of 7.15am. The next morning we depart on our way to a small town named Kaikoura with our first driver named 'Zippy' who inf http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-521767.html 20 04 2010The day started in Greymouth and we sorted ourselves out. A leisurely start for on the road by 1000 hours. The route today was to Westport only 100km along the beautiful scenic coast road.This route was probably the best scenery we have ever encountered. Mountains to the east with tropical forest down to the Tasman Sea on the west and a windy single road taking you along it. The waves we http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-491647.html Arrived in Westport mid afternoon after a bus trip which was quite scenic but at the same time annoying as it rained all the way there and that spoilt the scenery somewhat.Anyway when i arrived it was belting it down and i was drenched just walking from the bus stop to the hostel arrived at the hostel to find that quite annoyingly i never had enough cash to cover the 20 key deposit so i had to g http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-484911.html THOUGHT FOR THE DAY These kiwis seem a friendly lot until they get behind the wheel of a car.Ken a Welsh cyclist met on the road near Murchison. He'd been cycling in NZ for eight days.VITAL STATISTICSCurrent Location Hokitika.Distance Travelled 3775 kilometres.Maximum Speed 64.8 kilometres somewhere in the Wairarapa cycling downhill and with a tail wind.Longest Daily Ride 162.1 kilometr http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-477924.html It was nice to sleep in since our departure time was 9am. We got picked up a little late I believe since the other 46 passengers stayed at another hostel there was a waiting list to get on the bus so it took a little longer. We rode for about 45 minutes to Richmond to get food supplies and breakfast for anyone who hadnt eaten yet. There was about 20 extra minutes so I stopped by the jewelry s http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-474558.html we arrived in westport late sunday evening.... toni the practice manager met us in the new world supermarket parking lot and lead us to our digs in carter's beach. we will be working in westport for a total of two weeks and living in a flat in carter's beach which is about an 8 minute drive away from the hospital.we were both quite impressed with the flat which is the nicest accommodation http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-473486.html finished up 2 weeks of work in westport .... a wonderful time i will miss this place and hope to come back to work.jeff was on call our last night here so we stayed home took in our last sunset at carter's beach and watched episode 6 of Flight of the Conchords.this weekend we will drive along the west coast of the south island toward tuatapere which is about 900km away. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-472140.html Saturday September 12thIt rained heavily through the night but just before 7am when we peaked out our window we saw patched of blue between the rain clouds. With nothing to do all day but relax we crawled back into bed and snoozed some more.Once breakfast and some admin were done it was almost lunch time. It started raining heavily once more but just as quickly the sun was out again so afte http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-436574.html Monday morning we got up and had all intentions of doing a walk as both Steve and I were feeling a stir of cabin fever having spent so much time in the car recently. Having read the Lonely Planet guide I was aware of a few walks that sounded really good for scenery and also a reasonable length. So decision made that we would do a walk and stay in Greymouth that night we set off.The road between http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-432267.html Ah so this is my first time online it quite a while. It may even be the longest strech on non internet for me in the past few years so what have i been up to.... from christchurch we went south down the east coast through the catlins. we ran into a couple of taz's friends who we camped out wiht by an awsome river. I lost my sleeping bag and decided i needed a really nice new sleep http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-400659.html Up and off onto the Kiwi Bus JB Kerky Berky is to be my diver all the way down to Quuenstown we all stick together for this leg which is cool Left the sunnies place in New Zealand 2000 hours of sun onto the really Wet west CoastDrove into Nelson Lakes National Park to see Lake Rotoiti a crystal clear Glacier lake surrounded by beach forests. Thankfully the weather was nice if a littl http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-391484.html Day 39 South Island WestportToday we set off early as we wanted to drive quite a distance over to the West of the Island. It rained overnight and was damp and overcast in the morning but it was still a very scenic drive through the mountains and it felt a bit like Scotland. We stopped for a break where there was a narrow suspension bridge hanging over the Buller river after a quick stroll we c http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-379485.html Ok I think were winning this time. We are now in a campsite at the seal colony at Cape Foulwinds near Westport on the West coast. The internet connection seems to be better organised and we think we can get this going. The weather has been beautiful today we left Sarahs this morning and drove back down South but over to the west through the beautiful valley of the Buller river. We drov http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Westport/blog-374495.html