11/04/2018 - Jewel of the West Coast

As usual, we started early in the day. We were ready to leave around 09:00 am and finally left the glacier region behind us. The area said goodbye with a bright blue sky, which is a rarity. Thanks to the weather conditions, we were in a great mood and looking forward to today's drive. After a few kilometers, we got a glimpse of how beautiful the West Coast can look in the sunshine. The wooded green hills and the not so mystical rainforest impressed us. That's why we made several smaller stops along the way - at beaches with a lot of driftwood, at a lake with the sounds of countless birds, and at a wonderful lookout with a view of the long coastline. Our first longer break was at "Ship Creek Walkway". It leads over bridges, sand dunes, and then through New Zealand bush. To get back to the car, we walked along the rocky beach. It was wonderful to feel the sun and be outside.
On the further drive, we passed "Haast". The town is the last piece of civilization before you only find isolated houses along the coast further south. After visiting the local beach, we continued down by the sea. But the road conditions were once again challenging. Despite the paved road, the route was so uneven that we were shaken back and forth in the car. We took a break halfway through this wild ride. It was convenient that the "Hapuka Estuary Walkway" started right there. The short circular path led us through a swamp area that we had not seen until then. It was damp and muddy under the wooden walkways, New Zealand "flax" grew everywhere, and what was behind the next hedge was always a surprise.

The Maori used the flax in many ways. The plant is very sturdy and easy to work with. It is used, for example, for tools, bags, or clothing.

But the highlight of the entire hike was the bird diversity. Besides beautiful songs, the little residents occasionally visited us. The birds showed a great interest in humans and were not afraid to come close. Suddenly it became loud and a New Zealand pigeon crossed our path. It not only looks more colorful and elegant but is also much plumper than its European relatives.
After the beautiful stopover, we continued to "Jackson Bay". There are about ten houses in this bay, including a warehouse for fish and seafood. There is very little else to be found in the area. But there is a small snack cart. "The Cray Pot" is recommended as an insider tip on the internet. After Tobi studied the menu, he ordered the local prawns with salad and fries, and I went for the classic fish & chips. We were alone in the Jackson Bay, except for a group of cyclists. When the diligent athletes got their food, it was our turn. It not only looked great, it tasted wonderful too. While eating, we enjoyed a breathtaking view. The bay is surrounded by mountains - in front of us, there was a wide view of the sea and the Southern Alps of New Zealand. We could even see "Mount Cook" thanks to the clear sky. Simply amazing! During our little digestion walk, we couldn't stop marveling. Once again, New Zealand managed to enchant us. We enjoyed the time and peace and took a few pictures on a harbor jetty. We would have loved to stay longer in this wonderful place, but we didn't have a place to sleep for the night yet. So at around 4:30 pm, we took one last picture of the picturesque bay and set off.
After an hour, we reached the first milestone: Haast. From here, the "Haast Pass" begins, which leads to "Wanaka". Since we have already driven the route, we could estimate the distance roughly. However, this only helped us to a limited extent because it didn't make us progress faster. In addition, the mountain pass was still littered with construction sites. As the evening twilight slowly set in, we became more and more tense. We try to avoid driving in the dark in New Zealand. The roads are partially poorly built, and animals regularly cross the road. But on this day, we just had to grit our teeth.
We made one last stop to take a picture of a beautiful valley. Since the view was obscured by hedges, I climbed on Tobi's shoulders to take a picture. After this little acrobatics, we continued without any further stops until we reached Wanaka. It was getting darker and darker - finally, at 8:30 pm, we arrived at the familiar campsite. With this, a long, beautiful day came to an end.