Nelson, Westport, Hokitika, Franz Josef

Hello again.   Trying to bring everyone up to date - at least to the weekend!

Left Nelson Sunday morning.   Our accommodation there was the best so far;  quite roomy,  with an en suite. 

Next leg involves more mountain climbing in the rain and cloud - at least it's not too cold.

Arrived in Westport just after lunch.   Miserable weather!!   Went to Cape Foulwind - appropriately named - but didn't get out of the car.   We didn't want to get blown away!!
Had the best pea and ham soup there!!!

Driving conditions

TomTom's road map



Hawkes Bluff



Cape Foulwind Lighthouse











Reminded me of the movie 'Cars'

Only one night in Westport,  then on to Hokitika.

Stopped at Charelston to do the Glow Worm Cave Tour.   What a trip!!!!!   Ten minute ride in a very old twelve seater bus to the 'railway station';   'train' had three open carriages,  roof,  but that didn't keep out all the rain,  tiny,  playground engine that took ages to start.   We wondered if we'd ever get to the caves!   A fifteen minute ride on the train through dense rainforest,   a seven minute trek through more rainforest and running creeks,  to finally reach the mouth of the cave.
Lucky we were given rubber socks and boots to wear,  because our pants still got wet wading through the water!!!!

The caves were great!   Only Alan,  myself and the guide,  so very easy to talk and listen.  
Because of the heavy rain overnight,  there were a lot streams running through the cave system and a lot of water for us to walk through.   The glow worms at the end were fantastic.   It was like looking at the sky on a really starry night.

Of course,  then we went back the way we had come - water,  water,  water,  above and below us!!!
We arrived safely back at the centre,  had a hot shower,  donned dry clothes,  and thoroughly enjoyed our lunch.

An alternative to the cave walk was a cave ride.   This was done much the same as our tour,  except they turned off in another direction in the cave and rode the streams in rubber tubes.   The three people who did this really enjoyed it.   They had to do the same bus,  train,  walk

What a pose

Engine and driver

Kitted out for the tube ride



Entering the cave



Inside the cave

Glow worms



Glow worm webs

The other end of the cave

Waterfall inside the cave

Next to the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki.   These were incredible;   whole cliffs of layered rock,  not just in one spot,  but along the whole shoreline.

There were lots of little inlets,  too,  being pounded by the seas.   The blowhole wasn't working as well as it could have been  had the seas been rougher,  but we saw some blows anyway.

Pancake Rocks

The Chimney Pot

Blowhole

Steps on the path around the cliffs

Monday night in Hokitika.   Still miserable weather!!

Next day went looking for some jade earrings.   Also known as greenstone,  it has been mined around Hokitika for as long as the gold has.   Took some photos of the old buildings,  and this poem that was in the café where we had breakfast.   Rather appropriate,  considering the weather the last few days!!!

Customs House
 

On our way to Franz Josef,  stopped at Hokitika Gorge.   On the way there was our first sighting of the snowcapped Southern Alps.   Very exciting for us!!!  

Also on the way to the Gorge,  we passed an 'Incident Memorial'.    Didn't have a clue what that was or what it meant.    It turned out to be a memorial to the victims of New Zealand's first serial killer,  in the early 1940's,  I think.   He was a local farmer who murdered seven other farmers and farm workers,  of various ages and sex.   Each victim's name,  age,  and occupation is engraved on the memorial.   Very sad to read of their fate.





































At the Gorge the 'Blue Pools'  turned out to be quite milky in colour.   Don't know why this was,  but the rivers in that area are the same - looks strange!

Stopped at a lookout at Rima.   Did the panorama thing,  of course,  but there were some interesting newspaper articles from the 1870's and 1890's on a wall in the shed.   Hope you can read them!!



































From Rima to Ross,  another gold mining town,  this one still producing!!!!    Ross is a very small town with a big history - I bought the book,  but haven't read it yet!!!   This is where the largest gold nugget ever found in New Zealand was discovered.   It was called the Honourable Roddy,   and given to King George (I think) as a coronation gift!!!!!



















We had lunch in about the only café in town.   It was also the local museum.   They had a lady playing the piano - honkey-tonk style - while most of the patrons stood and watched.   She was great.   Played the old songs that Aunty Barb used to play when we had parties,  many,  many,  many years ago!   Fabulous!!!


Finally arrived in Franz Josef.   Our accommodation here turned out to be a backpackers!!!!   Not only that,  we were upstairs!!!!   Not happy chappies!!!   Things improved once we'd got our bearings and had a beer or two!

More later.

Anzac Day, Nelson

Went as far as we could to Farewell Spit yesterday afternoon,  after arriving in Nelson.  Farewell Spit is a 'sand finger',  37km long,  out into Cook Strait - I think!  

Saturday was Anzac Day.   Up early for the march.   Over here the march is at 5.30am,  followed by the speeches and formalities.   Al found the guys from 2RAR NZ,  and marched with them.   None of them were in Vietnam as early as he was (1967),  but they did serve over there.  

We marched for 20mins,  and listened for 90mins!!!!!!    According to a weather guage on the march route,  the temperature was 11 degrees;   standing in the middle of a football field,  in the dark,  on wet grass,  it was NOT 11 degrees!   Towards the end of the speeches there was a flyover - three small planes.   The whole event was really moving though - white crosses with names on them were lined up on the field;   instead of the crowd watching from the footpaths,  they joined the marchers beside some of the units.   I joined in beside the naval cadets!   I like that idea!!

Somewhere warm for breakfast!!!!  

Too tired to do anything for the rest of the day,  so rested!!!!!!

More soon!!!!

Picton and Nelson (Thurs & Fri)

After checking out the accommodation yesterday afternoon,  we went to the 'Edwin Fox' Museum.   This was a ship that ended up becoming a freezer storage for the meat works in Picton.   Before that it had been a passenger ship,  and had actually transported the last convicts to Fremantle (WA).   Now,  just the hull has been preserved,  and you can walk all over it (on both sides,  Vernon),  as well as under it.   Paying passengers lived in these confined spaces as they migrated to wherever;   and convicts were chained in them as well.

Dinner that night was at the RSA (RSL).   Unfortunately,  they have 'gaming machines' here!!!!   Not a cheap meal!!!!!!!!



All the RSA's here have these white crosses in a garden outside.   Quite moving seeing them with names on them!

Had scampi for dinner - never had it before - they look like yabbies,  but taste like very sweet prawns - delicious!

Sadly the 'golden rainbow' landed in the club,  nowhere near us!!!!



Thursday now.    Washing and drying first up!

Whale Centre was closed,  so we went to the Picton Museum.    This was mainly the history of Picton - surprise - as a whaling town.   Huge industry here in the early days.

Many of the whalers settled in Picton and surrounds,  and married Maori women - two or three at a time!

Some local stories of WW1 soldiers,  too.    Took this photo of a letter written by a soldier in Turkey to his family in Picton.   Took his photo as well.   Really sad,  especially on this 100th anniversary!






Probably can't read the letter,  now I see it on the blog!!



After lunch, we went on the Mail Boat,  delivering mail and other parcels - food,  beer,  wine,  etc - to the people who live in the many,  many  bays along the Marlborough Sounds.

Great trip!   Sunny afternoon,  blue skies,  cold breeze,  but so glad to see the sun,  it didn't matter how cold it was.

There are no roads to these bays;   the only access to the outside world for these people is the mail boat - twice a week -  or their own boats.    We were amazed at how many properties there were!!

A couple of resorts have established themselves in some of the bays.   Lots of walks along the coastline and inland,  seem to be about the only activities - unless you're honeymooning,  I suppose!

The whole trip took just over 4 hours.   The route we did was the red one,  and I've included some of the homes we stopped at.

Parcels and mail,  dropped off and picked up.   This little girl on the right was late.   She came running down the jetty,  tying,  or trying to tie,  the bag as she ran.

 

This guy was smart;   he had a trolley on a rail to haul his supplies up the hill - he needed it for the amount of alcohol the boat delivered.










 

No so clever,  but gets more exercise,  walking up all those steps.   This man does a lot of fishing apparently.   I heard him talking to the boat driver about how few there were around at the moment.

He has to go up and down all those steps every time he uses his boat!!

Some of the homes where the mail and supplies are delivered by boat.













Going ashore at Ship Cove

We were taken up as far as Ship Cove,  so named because Captain Cook landed there in search of food and water.   He found plenty of food - birds and fish,  and a fresh water stream,  and stayed for quite a time.

There is a monument to Cook in the cove.

This stop is also where some people doing
 the Queen Charlotte Sound Walk can be
 picked up or dropped off.










































Loved Picton.   We had a great day.   Off to Nelson in the morning.

More later.

Love Maur & Al