18/01/2018 - Jacksons' Glowworms and the Arthur's Pass

From east to west - from west to east. Before crossing the Arthur's Pass (920m altitude), we made a stop in Jacksons. This allowed us to enjoy the upcoming mountain pass with its great views in good weather and at a leisurely pace.

Jacksons is only about 60 kilometers away from Greymouth, inland. The morning before our stopover started with a visit to the library to upload a blog. Then we set off. Once again, the rain caught up with us and didn't stop during the entire drive. So we only briefly stopped at Lake Brunner. Armed with an umbrella, we set off. We visited a suspension bridge, which is very close to the lake shore, and even saw a 'Weka' on the short forest path. (These small, curious birds are rarely seen.) We decided to walk across the suspension bridge. Due to the fog, the scenery resembled a rainforest. But the rain became more and more uncomfortable - so back to the car and onwards.
The campground in Jacksons was a little paradise. It is located on a slope, surrounded by native bush. Its facilities are brand new and well-maintained. Even in the kitchen and lounge area, all campers took off their shoes - if only there was always such a relaxed and cozy atmosphere. We had rice pudding for dinner. After it had received a light roasting last time, it turned out wonderfully this time - despite using Italian Arborio rice. ;) Just as we finished eating, the owner brought fresh salad and vegetables from the garden to the kitchen ... what a shame! Because campers are invited to use them as well.
Since we wanted to go for a short hike at night, we rested a bit longer in the car. As mentioned before, the campground is in the middle of nowhere. Therefore, the bird diversity in the surrounding forest is very large. With a lot of luck, you can even hear and observe kiwis. Therefore, the owner provides red covers for flashlights. This prevents the animals from being blinded by the bright light. The twilight set in. As we didn't want to wander around in the pitch-black forest, we got ready around 9:00 p.m. - and it was still raining. We bundled up with scarves, hats, and rain jackets. We followed a walking trail that is supposed to lead to a waterfall, starting from the campground. We regularly took breaks to observe the surroundings and listen to sounds. The trail became muddier and muddier over time. After days of heavy rain, we had to cross small streams and larger puddles. After about 25 minutes, we asked ourselves if it was really worth it and where this trail would lead to? Alone, in the dark forest, in an unfamiliar environment that we hadn't even seen in daylight ... We discovered a sign that said "Glowworms". We decided to follow this sign. Suddenly, we heard loud voices. A group of four German backpackers, whom we had already met during dinner, had caught up with us. We quickly discussed the situation and decided to continue together - and to be honest, you feel somewhat safer in a larger group. Since the four of them had not seen glowworms on their journey so far, it was clear that we had to keep going - they must be somewhere, right? The sounds of another stream became louder and suddenly they were there. Several glowworms were sitting to our right on a rock wall. The glowworms cannot fly, nor are they related to the German version. They are blue-glowing mosquito larvae that try to attract prey into their sticky threads using their light. After trying to take a few pictures with the camera, we continued the journey. After crossing another river, we reached a spot with even more glowworms on the other side. We turned off all the lights and let the natural spectacle unfold before us - countless glowworms that looked like a clear starry sky! No one thought about the rain, the muddy shoes, or what else could be crawling around in the area. For a while, we all enjoyed this wonderful sight together.
When we started the return journey, it was briefly unclear where exactly we came from. We initially walked past the descent point, but someone from the group noticed a reflector that helps maintain orientation at night. So after a 25-minute hike, we reached the gate to the campground.
Unfortunately, we didn't hear or see any kiwis that night.

The next morning started quite routine. Wake up, shower, have breakfast, and check out of the campground at 10:00 am. We were looking forward to today's drive to Christchurch. This led us through the Arthur's Pass. The big worry that it would rain so much again on the day quickly vanished. Because at 10:00 am, the sun fought its way through the cloud cover, and the further we got, the better the weather became. At the beginning, the landscape reminded us of the Black Forest. Trees were everywhere, and only the high mountains were visible in the distance. The first stop was after a steep ascent. Besides our car, the trucks also struggled up the mountain with loud humming. After another two minutes of driving, which went over a large bridge ('Otira Viaduct'), we reached the next viewpoint with the charming name 'Death's Corner'. We already knew that 'Keas' occasionally appear here - and indeed, a slightly larger camper with a bike rack was scrutinized by the curious alpine parrots. But after a few minutes, the spectacle was over, and they flew into the distance. We took a few more pictures of the great view before we continued into the distance. Gradually, we reached the small mountain village with the same name, 'Arthur's Pass'. It is the highest village in the whole country. We wanted to stretch our legs a bit and went for a hike to the 'Devils Punchbowl Waterfall'. After about 40 minutes, we reached this impressive and very tall waterfall. Unfortunately, the wind was very unfavorable that day, so much spray came towards us and the camera that we couldn't take any beautiful pictures.
After the short break, we continued the drive, and the landscape became more and more beautiful. Luckily, there wasn't much traffic that day, and we were able to stop several times at the side of the road to take some pictures of the surroundings. Everything was offered, from green meadows with sheep to snow-covered mountaintops.
We made the next major stop at 'Castle Hill'. This hill is covered with rocks of different sizes made of limestone. Because the rocks are perfect for climbing, the area is a popular spot for rock climbers. We climbed to the highest point and enjoyed the expansive view. Even though the rocks don't quite fit into the rest of the landscape, this place looked simply mystical and impressive. As we later found out through research, some of these rocks were used for the construction of the Christchurch Cathedral. In addition, this location was used for filming the first part of the film series 'The Chronicles of Narnia'.
Time was progressing, and we still hadn't reached Christchurch. But we had to make one last stop. In the New Zealand town of Springfield, there isn't much that reminds you of the cult series from America, 'The Simpsons'. However, a huge donut can be found in the city center. So we couldn't resist taking a few snapshots.
After a total of six hours of driving, including the stops, we arrived in Christchurch. It didn't take long for us to realize that we were in a big city. Many cars, long traffic jams, and loud traffic noise. We checked in at the campground, and to end the day, we treated ourselves to a restaurant visit. We had Indian curry with homemade bread - really delicious!
After a short exploration of the campground, we fell into bed, well-fed and exhausted from all the impressions.