On to Greymouth

Over the river and through the woods…….  Actually it was more like over many, many mountains, rivers, woods, canyons, gorges, etc, etc, etc.  All the while playing dodge-em with the crazies on the motorcycles and the nuts wanting to pass everyone.  We did pass slow moving lumber trucks and some poor guy hauling big animals that kept shifting (we couldn't see them as they were in a truck sized box) and the not so old lady who kept driving 70 km/h in a 100 km/h zone.

We followed the Buller River all the way to Westport. We stopped at the longest suspension bridge in New Zealand and had a walk across. Allie toughed it out over her fear of heights and it was worth the whopping $5 we payed for the privilege.  We persevered and made it to Westport to fuel up RIG and get some lunch. Then down the coast, stopping at the Punakaiki Rocks, a famous NZ geologic formation, Irimahuen Bay, where there are some not quite so famous rocks, and other odd and sundry places to take photos.

We are off to Lake Matheson and Fox Glacier tomorrow via Hokitika, which is home of the famous NZ greenstone, which is much prized by the Maori (and priced accordingly).

Over the Mountains

By Irimahuen Bay

Buller Gorge Bullet

Upper Buller Gorge

The suspension bridge

The rocks of the Truman Track

Down the coast

Punakaiki Rocks

Punakaiki Blowhole

Ship Rocks