New Zealand - West Coast

In the previous entry we mentioned the transfer from the Southern Alps to the West Coast. This is a trip that involves crossing a pass (the Haast Pass, at 593 meters not that high, but enough of a challenge for our poor camper van), which is located in Mount Aspiring National Park. Another massive national park, with incredibly beautiful scenery and sights, such as 90 foot high waterfalls. Unfortunately walking was impossible, as the main tracks were inaccessible for our transport, but a few small strolls gave us still a good impression of the stunning beauty of this part of New Zealand.

From Mount Aspiring you end up on the West Coast (that is, if you follow our route), initially dominated by two impressive glaciers (Franz Josef and Fox), which make their way down to almost sea level and (rumour has it) the peaks of the gigantic Mount Cook and Mount Tasman (NZ's highest peaks at over 3,000 meters). But, as you would assume by now, weather conditions didn't allow us to have a clear view - in one priceless moment we saw Mount Tasman through the clouds (although we had a perfect view of both peaks a few days later, from a hundred kilomters away!). The same weather conditions meant that our planned walk on a glacier was not going to be - mist and rain made this activity less tempting, so it is another one for the 'to do' list. On the positive, we managed to walk up to both 'terminal ends' (which is where the glacier ceases to exist as a glacier and springs a river) and see the incredible amount of ice and the blue icepeaks and experience the outer-worldy landscape.

The remainder of the West Coast is perhaps best summarised by Captain Cook's (he's the guy who 'discovered' NZ for Great Britain) reaction when he saw it - 'move on, too rugged to be inhabitated'. For us that meant more stuning views of amazing coastlines, with settlements few and far between. With the weather now seriously taking a turn for the better (back to 28 to 30 degrees Celsius), we slowed down from the relentless pace we had maintained so far, limiting our sightseeing to fur seals and coastal rockformations with blowholes and spent a few hours on the various campsites - relaxing. Who would have thought that ?

To put the people that are getting worried now at ease - for the next few days we had a busy schedule planned in Marlborough, the land of wine and lots more.....