Diary 13th January 2001 & Images
Fox Glacier to Westport.
Saturday 13thJanuary.
After a good night's sleep I bathed, packed and then went to the dining
room where I enjoyed a communal breakfast with the two other guests.
My hosts had mentioned that the weather looked into closed in for the
flight to be taking place this morning. When I left the house at 0845
there was a very fine drizzle falling. On my arrival at the Alpine Office
I was told that due to the low cloud and rain there would be no flight
this morning I was not surprised.
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The sky was a dull grey and there was no break in the clouds as the very light drizzle continued to fall to on my head and shoulders. |
The face of the glacier appeared to be a glowing pale iridescent blue colour in the distance. The top layer and surface was covered in a dark residue that had formed over the years it had been travelling toward the sea. What appeared to be a cave in the side of the leading edge turned out to be nothing more than a hall where some ice had fallen away. |
On leaving the glacier behind I headed northif taking the coast road. It is a very winding route often there are 180° turns and it's a bit like a roller-coaster ride in that it climbs steeply and descends quickly with great frequency. |
I stopped in Hokitika which is just a little short of the halfway point for a break from driving. The drizzle stopped and the clouds opened up, I was so delighted I sat at a pavement table and ate a delicious piece of Pecan pie with fresh cream and drank a cup of excellent fresh coffee. |
'The youth of today: the future of tomorrow.' Leads the caption on the community project. An interesting and busy mural because Years Matters. |
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This bridge is used by train and road vehicle alike and has a speed limit of 20 km. |
Feeling refreshed I pressed on northwards and made a slight detour as I wanted to stop at Shantytown. |
This is a town that has been made up of bits and pieces collected from other towns. |
All the artefacts are in working conditions and maintained as a |
museum of the early workings of New Zealand's industry |
This train were take you on a journey into the mining tunnels |
.I spoke to the driver who loves seeing tourists and enjoys his work very much |
the rail track crosses the road just outside the Gold claim |
but I turned right and went up the main street which is not dissimilar to something in the old West of America. |
This red building in the foreground is the Robbers Roost which is Shantytown's jail. |
I looked inside the old school room with its polished wooden desksand everything in pristine condition. |
I took a look inside the small wooden church which was so bright and airy with fresh flowers standing by the altar. |
This is Camerons livery and bait stables standing next to the orange/rust coloured fire station with the causes hanging out over the fence to dry. |
As I left shantytown there was a horse drawn plough and various other pieces of machinery |
including a mangle, its huge wheel rusting away with alongside the road. |
The reaper and such farm machinery gave the town entrance a kind of frozen in time look.with a |
Returning to the Highway I travelled on through Greymouth. As I had visited it at the end of the Tranz-Alpine train ride last week I did not stop. but sped on toward the pancake rocks at Punakaiki. |
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As I drove along the coast road I encountered this rainbow flag flying in the distance and when I came to the house I discovered that this gay couple had decided to leave the rat race and set up home in this isolated part of the world. I invited me to share a coffee with them before I continued on my journey |
Westport is a beautiful little town with a busy harbour and many sailing vessels. |
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on my arrival at River View Lodge, 6 Buller George Road. I was presented with this beautiful view from the front of the guesthouse. I relaxed in the evening sunshine in the warm well tended garden. |
My needs were well catered for in a modern building that was clearly purpose-built. All the essentials were provided |
and the bedroom was spacious, comfortable and well appointed. I settled down for my last night in the South Island. |
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