From Fox to Pancakes

Trip Start Nov 15, 2007
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Trip End Dec 13, 2007


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Flag of New Zealand  ,
Sunday, December 2, 2007

Although the day started with cloud covering the tops of the mountains we still awoke to the sounds of helicopters and planes taking people up to the glacier. Another nice breakfast and we were ready to go on our way to Punakaki and the Pancake rocks.
We stopped at Franz Josef glacier to say we had seen them both! Twisty roads took us out towards the coast and to Hokitika... which we found out was Jade town, I just had to buy myself a bit :) honest I didn't plan it!
The scenery changed to include palms and tree ferns and funny wind swept trees. It all looked like something from The Lost World.
We stopped off in Shantytown, a replica Gold Minining town. All very touristy but fun to pan for gold and get a sense of what the towns used to be like in gold rush era.
Greymouth for food, as we were self catering for the night, and petrol Panning 4 Gold
Panning 4 Gold
 . Nothing much to say about Greymouth apart from it is handy for petrol and pizza!
Drive from Greymouth to Punakaiki was however very picturesque. Great coastal scenery and some stunning rock formations. The Pancake rocks themselves are bizarre. Layers of rocks, that even geologists can't even explain. The tide was coming in but a quite day for the blow holes as not a rough sea. Still dramatic to see and hear the sea crashing against the rocks.
Accomodation was in a "tree house" amongst palms and Nikau (name of our apartment). The balcony would have been great for dinner, if the damn midgies had left us alone!
Walked down to the sea for another look after our microwaved pizza and glass of wine, and enjoyed the sun going down and glistening on the sea. A great time of day.
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