Sunday, 14th April - Day Eleven: Westport to Hanmer Springs, 220km (132 miles). Today as we cross the centre of the country, we see tiny birds flying in an out of the ferns along the roadsides. There are numerous creeks, many of them named, such as “Frying Pan Creek or “Cockney Creek”. The roads are narrow with many switchbacks up an down the mountains, occasionally going into one lane as we pass under Hawk’s Crag, a huge rocky overhang. There are valley settlements, mixed breeds of cattle grazing in the green, green grass and great lakes for trout fishing. In NZ, trout can’t be found in restaurants. It’s illegal to buy and sell and can only be caught if you or your friends like to fish. We pass Reefton, the first place in New Zealand to
... read more