Day 20 Monday

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Day 20 Monday

Up and away by 9.30 so we can stop in Punakaiki to see the Pancake Rocks. The view was well worth it, the constant roar, the way the power of the waves has sculptured the rocks and the coastline was incredible. We stayed there for ages mesmerised.

Eventually back on the road to Arthur’s Pass...but first, that petrol. The petrol light was flashing as we drove into north Greymouth and found the Shell sign. No need to panic! Deb’s dad would have been proud.

When we looked at the bit to Arthur’s Pass, we weren’t sure why we were doing it as it is off our main route but as soon as we started driving up the gorge we knew why. It’s at this stage that I start running out of adjectives, driving along with mountains in front, behind and at both sides, no description or photos can do it justice.

Wilderness Lodge was 16km the other side of Arthur’s Pass on a ledge above the valley floor. I could spend hours describing the setting but it’s easier to see the photo of the view from our room. The owner and his wife also run the merino sheep farm which is all the land you could see, mountains included. Gerry has a PhD in Ecology, (he is NZs equivalent of David Bellamy). He runs day trips, evening walks, early morning walks and has maps for you to do your own walks, which we did after lunch.

We also did the early evening walk where we learnt how he was reclaiming some of the land, letting it revert back to its natural state. In doing so they have found plants that have been extinct for years, also how a mother beech tree spreads her seeds for 300 years and then dies – it was fascinating.

You can guess how good it was cos he is doing an early morning bird walk from 7-8.30 tomorrow and I am getting up to do it! Now anyone who knows me and mornings knows what I mean!!

Every time we move on we say it can’t get any better and every time we are proved wrong – we are having a ball!!!!!!!!!!!

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