Tom and I actually set an alarm for this a.m. We had planned to walk Lake Matheson yesterday after our arrival, but as you saw, that was not to be. All for the better, according to our hostess: "the reflections are the best in the early morning". As we leave our room, this is our view....
Yet another suspension bridge....this time for walking, rather than driving.
Mt. Tasman and Mt. Cook (12,120 ft, the highest point in NZ) are reflected, as promised, in the lake.
Oh, how I wish this would grow in South Carolina.....as I said yesterday, this is my new favorite, covering the wayside, the banks, towering in the rain forests everywhere....the rough/brown tree fern.
We walked UP, not down! Note the chicken wire, rather than treads, to protect against slippery steps. The rain forest part of this walk was beyond gorgeous!
Even BETTER reflections!!!!! What more can I say?
Great early morning walk.....Now on to breakfast!!
This is Peter's Pool.....read the below explanations....
Peter Westland, so identified above, is the man for whom Westland National Park is named. He was early explorer in this area, including the glaciers and the Southern Alps.
WE SURE DID!!! And thought it was pretty toxic and didn't even know the rest of NZ did as well!! (It's where we found the magic fairy phone booth, remember?)
Every few miles, there is another lake....or river... or mountain....."the thinker" is pondering the meaning of a $200 bungee jump!!
We stopped in Whataroa to see the Maori crafts, only to learn that the store had been closed....and was moving to more popular Franz Josef....the town has become a ghost town since the mill closed some years ago....(we don't know what kind of mill).....these school children are enjoying an "eat out" before they do their "walkabout". The entire town is doing "walkabouts" and then going to gather for a town meeting to decide what to do about their dying commerce, how to beautify, how to attract more business. The entire student population was there, 28....K-8.....with 3 teachers and one aide. Before the mill closed, the students numbered 150......
The volunteer moms were grilling what looked like bratwurst.
Their school building which now also houses the library and the district administrative offices....to fill up the former classrooms....we drove off quietly, our spirits dampened for the first time in NZ.
Another 5 or 6 miles and another river.....as predicted.
Another 5 or 6 miles and another lake.....as predicted.
We walked into Jackie's cafe at 3:00 p.m......on the recommendation of her competition. We are a half hour past service time in Hokitika....they stop at 2:30 here; most towns it has been 3:00....either way, we are pushing the envelope. She is most gracious (per her sign out front) and offered to make us anything on her menu!!!
Her restaurant was behind her shop (which was a funky consignment store) in this beautiful courtyard. She had decorated it with "cast offs" from friends, relatives and other consignments!
??
Would you believe this is a BLT??? a la Jackie's creativity....
And vegetable lasagna.
Jackie sent us on our way with a free bran muffin with raspberry cream cheese filling....delicious....
Hokitika had just had a driftwood building competition over the previous weekend. This was a remnant....a swing, constructed entirely of the driftwood and some rope!
The town museum
These two pics are for you, McKenzie Ethier, potential glassblower!
We had been forewarned about this adventure....by the group in Fox Glacier who had just passed this route the day before. The cars travel on the TRAIN TRACK for some 300 yds or so....what they DIDN'T tell us is that it is an enclosure with these high concrete walls on both sides.....they DID tell us that the trains have the right of way......DUH!
The Tasman seashore at Greymouth, South Island, NZ
Our new lodging at the Edgewater.....where we crashed for the night....our hostess, Jan, prepared a platter of cheese, meat, breads and a bottle of wine.
We ventured down the pathway to the sea..
Grey, misty, windy, chilly....and ferocious attack by the much feared, hated, dreaded...SANDFLIES....they bite like a mosquito, leave a similar red mark and itch like crazy...we hurried back to our warm room...
to watch a beautiful sunset.
And to fill out our relocation papers....we are moving!!!
