2025-03-05 West Coast, South

5.3.25 Makarora->Pleasant Flat, 38km, 350hm. I start with the sun salutation on the terrace, pack my backpack, and then make myself two fried eggs again. Christine comes before her meeting and we say goodbye for now. As a thank you, she wants to give me $50, which I don't want at all. After I have signed in the Wwoofing book, I put the bill in there. When I come back from the toilet, there’s another $50 on my spot at the table. I think Christina found the bill, but it’s a second bill that John wants to give me. I thank him again but leave the money there. May they give it to people who need it more. I start in the sunshine. One or two clouds are still hanging in the mountains. The first stop I make after ten kilometers is at the blue Pools. They're 1.6 kilometers away from the parking lot. I don't feel like walking, so I ride my bike, despite it being forbidden. The path ends at Bückenkopf. Both bridges are closed and under renovation. I find a stick and wait above the bridge across the river. On a small path, I walk through the woods downstream until I get back to the track. Another couple has gone through the river below, while the other people turn back. Depending on the position of the sun and the angle, the two rivers that merge here shine beautifully blue. When I wait again across the river, a construction worker welcomes me and accompanies me to the barrier. Now it goes about 200 meters up to Haast Pass. A half-hour walk leads to a lookout. I look at Mt. Brewster, 2516m. Behind the pass, there are two waterfalls located not far from the road.

In the riverbed, people have stacked round stones, and I observe the other tourists while I eat something. I follow the stream that wildly and greenly pours into the valley. The descent is steep, and many cyclists come towards me. At Pleasant Flat camp, there’s such a beautiful view of snow-covered mountains from the river that I decide to stay here to enjoy the view at sunset. So I set up the tent at a seating area around 4 PM, go to the river to take photos, and then cook. Sandflies keep coming by. First, I spray myself, later when the sun disappears behind the mountains, I put on long clothes. I find a camper again who charges my power bank. I meet him at sunset on the bridge. Now it gets noticeably cooler and humid, time to sleep.

6.3.25 Pleasant Flat->Haast->Lake Paringa, 96km, 530hm. This morning it’s damp and cool, only 8 degrees. I start at 7:20 AM under deeply hanging clouds down the Haast valley. It’s calm and the bike runs well. Along the way, I talk on the phone with Ludwig and keep an eye out for a breakfast spot. But I don’t find one and ride through to the supermarket in Haast. The supermarket is relatively small, but it has everything I need, except for individual cans of beer. Everything is significantly more expensive than in Wanaka. Only the two-liter ice pack is available at the same price. Then I take one for lunch. I’d like to eat it on the beach, but there’s no direct access here. I try at a meadow but get stuck in blackberries. So I eat half of the ice under the wind-blown trees until the biting flies annoy me too much again. A few kilometers farther, I stop at Ship Creek Beach. Here there’s a small hiking trail to the dune lake. Then I lay down in the shade on the beach and try to take a nap. The waves at the beach are quite high, so I don’t dare to go in, but at least my feet dip into the Tasman Sea. Now comes a longer climb to 140m, to the viewpoint Knights Point overlooking some rocks in the sea. Again, the small flies annoy the tourists, and I can’t eat my bread in peace. After the descent, it goes along Moeraki Lake and then another 15 km to Lake Paringa. Then the 95km are done! How good it is that the wind was favorable to me today. At the seating area at the campsite, the cyclists have gathered. A quick hello, then I head on to the meadow. In no time, the small tents are set up on the meadow by the lake. For the campers, there are indeed numbered pitches available. First, I go swimming directly. While doing so, I bump against something soft multiple times. I have a feeling there’s a big fish. But the water is so murky that I can’t see anything. I dictate the diary from yesterday and then go to cook. The other cyclists are sitting together at a table, but there’s no more room for me. At the third table, there’s a mother with her daughter from Germany, and we start chatting a bit. Today, I fry the fish sticks and the rice separately. That tastes much better. On the way back, I pick up the power bank from the camper. It has 94%. That should be enough for three days when I go on the Copland Trek tomorrow.