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Published: July 30th 2006
Purple sky
I was messing about with my camera but it looks ok!Bit too purple tho....Westport, Greymouth and the glaciers……
We didn’t arise too early the night after our night at the Mussel Inn, too many ciders…..
After leaving the Mussel Inn, we set off in torrential rain towards Motueka again to check our emails and get some munch. Then it was off to Westport, and it is a fantastic drive. Unfortunately we did it in the early evening so we didn’t see too much spectacular scenery but we saw the sun setting behind some fantastic mountains so that was good. We arrived in Westport late, but luckily just in time to check into a holiday park. There was only one other campervan in the park and it was Jon and Lisa, who we had left that morning! It was pretty good to see them again as we got on and it was nice to travel with other people. We all wanted to see some seals so the next day we decided we would go to Cape Foulwind (great name) which is an area that seals habituate.
We didn’t expect to see as many seals as we did, really good. It took a fair while to walk the track around the coast before
Fran and Lisa
The ladies on our walk to see some seals...this was the only day that we had a bit of sun! we got to the platforms that you can look out from but it was worth the trek. There were so many seals, some lazing around and others playing….quite special. Well, after that we continued down the west coast until we came to the Pancake Rocks…! Seriously unique, they actually look like loads of stacks of pancakes all piled on top of one another….! There was meant to be some amazing blowholes too but the tide wasn’t properly in for that which was annoying…..but we had stopped previously and seen some good blowholes so not that bad. We must have stopped several times to get out of the van and take pictures as the west coast is gorgeous….loads of little bays full of natural wonders to explore, great fun. We travelled the whole way with Jon and Lisa and booked into a campsite for a couple of nights in Greymouth. The site was right beside the beach but it wasn’t that nice because while we were there it poured down with rain and it was very windy too which wasn’t nice at night when your camper is shaking about!
Anyway, we didn’t do very much on the Saturday….went into town
as I wanted a haircut but the ‘Young Farmer of the Year’ competition was taking place and so everywhere was booked up with farmers wanting a trim! All the shops shut as well…on a Saturday…by midday, that didn’t make much sense! The All Blacks were on in the evening so we watched that with a few Kiwi’s and had a spa (bit extravagant I know but you have to treat yourselves once in a while!). The next day Jon and Lisa moved on earlier than us so we said our goodbyes again knowing that we were bound to bump into them again! We wanted to go quad biking today but the weather made that a no no and Fran’s back was bad as well. Instead we went for something a bit different and a trip to the Shantytown! It is a replica of a 19th and early 20th century gold mining settlement with a full working steam train (which we had a go on, big kids!). It wasn’t as bad as we thought it was gonna be and we enjoyed walking around the various buildings they had replicated. We also panned for gold which was pretty cool…even if we were
Random sign
Not the famous one in Bluff but similar... the oldest people doing it!
After all that excitement (!) we set off down the west coast again and onto the glaciers. Really looking forwards to doing a glacier walk and so was Fran although her back wasn’t too good so it was touch and go. On the way to Franz Josef we stopped at Lake Kaniere which was beautiful and took a look at Dorothy Falls which was also worth stopping at. After having some food we sped on to Franz Josef as it was getting late and the road was icing up. We did stop at one tiny little settlement though, called Pukekura to call into the Bushman’s Centre which was a crazy little museum, café and shop! Really random place that was in the middle of nowhere! Stayed there for a while and fed some possums!
Arrived at Franz Josef village late in the evening and checked into our campsite, where we saw Lisa and Jon again which was cool! Horrible weather again though, it has been continuously raining or freezing cold for a week now and hearing about how warm it is back home doesn’t make it very good! Went for a walk around
Little seal!
There were loads milling about but this one posed for me! the village the next day and took a trip to the terminal face of the Franz Josef glacier which was amazing. We have never been that close to a glacier before and to see it just sitting there in this valley was great, it was chucking it down with rain though, annoying. I had been told by many people and I sort of knew anyway that this glacier was the more exciting of the two but Frans back really wouldn’t have been able to cope with the steep ascent onto the glacier at Franz and so we looked at the Fox glacier. The Fox glacier was still a challenge but it didn’t look as demanding as the Franz and so we chose to do an all day walk on this glacier. Pretty excited about this as it looks amazing so couldn’t sleep that much…! Anyway, the next day we hoped for a break in the rain but it didn’t treat us and we awoke to pouring rain…again (I’m not moaning too much about the weather am I..?!!). We drove to Fox village and got geared up with these huge waterproof coats, boots, extra layers and crampon’s! I cant describe how
The west coast
We had to stop several times to take photos...fantastic coastline good this day was, stunning views, great adventure and a good workout! We had to walk for an hour and a half just to get onto the glacier as unlike at Franz you cant just walk up the terminal face at Fox as it’s too dangerous so your guide takes you through the temperate rain forest and to the side of the glacier where there is safer access. At one stage through the forest you have to run for 5o metres as there is danger of rocks falling on you, tiny bit of brown in my pants but there is a guy down below in the valley watching with binoculars which made us feel a bit safer! We had to strap our crampon’s on to our boots and grab a pole and we were ready. It was really cold up there, especially with the rain which didn’t relent all day! The guide took us all over the place and it was really good fun, especially as at certain point’s she had to cut the steps for us which was so cool. One girl in our group (only five of us which was good) did faint but thankfully she was ok
Lunge on a rock
Lunge on a rock in Trumans bay and it was down to not drinking enough water which you don’t think about because your so cold! Anyway, I told her about the time I fainted in the men’s toilets at a Spurs game and that seemed to amuse her and the other girls…can’t think why..! Well, on reflection I was really glad we did a whole day as you get 3-4 hours on the ice which is plenty and 6 hours overall which is a tough day…plus-by doing a whole day you get too see loads more crevasse’s and ice features that people on a half day hike wouldn’t see. Fran’s back wasn’t too bad either which was fantastic as I thought at one stage it would just be me doing the hike and I really wanted Fran to experience it too, think she enjoyed it!
That evening we had a great meal at a pub in Fox village and slept at a different campsite for the night as the road to Wanaka and the south of the south island was closed due to rock fall. When putting the power lead into the power point I kicked what I thought was a cat…but it turned out to
Pancake Rocks
Random rocks that look like stacks of pancakes be a Kea…it was dark so I didn’t see it but it made me jump! Next stop is Wanaka with the adrenaline capital of the world Queenstown not far away…!
Right, I’m nearly up to date with these blogs, managed to get two on in quick succession as we are in Christchurch and there are loads of cafes about. Should be going out tonight with this girl we met in Queenstown so that should be cool. ( Witard….mate, think you told us about Stonehurst? Cheers dude, good place to stay!)
Take care everyone, up the spurs. Enjoy all the photos i put on this one, so more that i didnt put on but 30 is enough!
Thommo
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bettsy
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get me
a do you get me a do you get me quality photos man, keep up the lunging, the big question is can you get any dips in? thats a challenge. missing you loads dude, especially hoooooooooogoooooooooo he misses the gingerness let me know if you'll be on messenger again keep the peace glass down there unit look.........mixed grill lost, gutted port?