Gipatik: 09.01.2020
So much has happened again. We left Kaikoura and the many Deflines and drove over Arthur's Pass to Greymouth. The drive over the pass was very spectacular and we had to make frequent photo stops! There is also a railway line that crosses it, which is very popular... In Greymouth, we checked into a B&B and there we met Wekas. They are flightless birds like Kiwis, but they have a shorter beak. Our hosts were great and we had a delicious breakfast twice. We went to the Pancake Rocks in Punakaiki and were entertained by amazing water sprays... On the way back, we walked to a waterfall again and to Hokitika for the Treetop Walk. I needed a lot of courage to walk over it and could only enjoy the view to a limited extent! However, the rest of the family loved it!!! In the evening, we met my 'sister-in-law' and her son for dinner at the city's own brewery. Once again, a successful day. Yesterday we drove into no man's land - all the way to the north of the West Coast to Karamea. It is subtropical here and so the rainforest looks different too. We are staying at the Last Resort - that says enough! Today we went to the main attraction in the early morning - the Oparara Caves. The drive there was quite spectacular, with many potholes and narrow spots... We had a great time! The Moria Arch blew my mind - the most magical place I have ever seen! I could have stayed there for hours. We then drove further north until the road ends, to Kohaihai, and walked the first section of the Heaphy Track. On the way back, we had to wait for a moment as there were between 400-600 cows on the way to be milked... Karamea is truly a magical place and still a hidden gem! So far, it's been our travel highlight - also thanks to the great weather!!!