Of foxes and pancakes along the west coast heading south

Our day begins with the drive south along Highway 6, which runs along the coast. We pass the Buller Gorge and Charleston on our way to Paparoa National Park. Our first stop is at the mouth of the Fox River into the sea. We linger a bit on the long beach here, as there are beautiful stones and rounded wood to admire, bringing back memories of Highway 101 from San Francisco to Los Angeles. It looks almost the same here. The only difference is the hinterland, which is quite special. Beyond the sea lies Paparoa National Park, densely overgrown.

The park impresses with its lush vegetation and unique rock formations. Additionally, as we have often seen, the water is very clear. We decide to walk along the Pororari River Track to see more of the vegetation, the Pororari River, and the rocks. We see a thicket of green along the path. Impenetrable, seemingly only passable with a machete. The trees that grow out of the thicket are full of moss or taken over by other plants, primarily vines. One must wonder how the actual plant can survive with all the parasites and how anything can grow with the little light that can shine into the forest... But it seems to be enough for ferns and other plants...

Oh yes, it's hard to believe, but suddenly two little goats appear on the path. Where did they come from in this thicket??? They are unfazed by us and jump into the darkness.

If you look across the riverbank, you see a green carpet. At first, one might think it is a low-growing shrub. But it is a mix of palms and ferns that grow like palms... and it is primarily a