Friday - coal, jade and blowholes

Today was a nice relaxing day, full of not much. We woke later than normal, after one of the best nights sleep for a long while. After a leisurely breakfast we set off south, on a slight detour back to the Bushman cafe we had passed last night. Our curiosity had been aroused by the a sign against all politicians and bureaucrats, next to a french guillotine, which we had seen the previous evening. Had a nice chat with the owner who had got into trouble with the government over their attitude to eating possum, and the effect of poisons on the native bird population.

Back on the road north we made our way to Hokitika where we visited a sock machine museum. Basically a shop selling socks, wool and knitting machines (for socks) where the owner also had a collection of old sock knitting machines.

Our next stop north was Greymouth, where we visited Shades of Jade, a shop specialising in carved jade from the western coast of NZ. After a fascinating chat with the owner, and the purchase of a jade pendant, we went to the local museum. An interesting place where we learnt all about the coal trade which was, and still is, in the immediate area, and the many tragedies which had hit the mines. Greymouth also had a history of being flooded (they now have a very substantial flood protection wall) which was recounted in great detail. A great little museum, with a lovely lass in the front desk.

The road from Greymouth to Punakaiki, our next stop, was breathtaking. Every corner seemed to show better and better views of the coast, and the roads were lined with beautiful flowers and shrubs. The orange (crocosma?) flower you can see here had been blooming in the wild by the sides of the roads for miles. Together with patches of orange lilies, NZ flax (phormium tenax), tree ferns, cabbage trees and hebes the road sides are like a garden designer's heaven. And agapanthus grows like a weed here, great masses of blue and white flowers are everywhere.

 

At Punakaiki we went on a short walk to see the Pancake Rocks, a naturally occurring phenomenon of shallow rock layers, which have been eroded over the years to produce strange looking structures and blowholes where the sea erupts in great clouds of spray.

We had carefully timed our arrival for just before high tide to get the full effect of the waves, and booms of noise which echoed through the rocks.

Back on the road again, the views continued to be amazing. We are stopped for the night at a little private campsite called Jacks Gasthof, also a pizzeria and bar. We had been warned that the sand flies here are terrible, so we spent the evening in the bar, eating and drinking. Friday night is pizza night after all! We now have an invite to visit Val tomorrow morning for a cup of tea, and possibly some poached eggs, before we continue our journey. We'll be leaving the west coast and going inland for the next couple of days as we head for the far north of South Island, and the Abel Tasman national park.

 

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