South Island West Coast

After a fantastic week in Fiordland, we were on the road again, heading north along the West Coast, to the Abel Tasman National Park. It is a shame we had to do the West Coast in three days( which meant a lot of driving ) but we are actually running out of time in NZ, despite being here for nearly seven weeks. The West Coast is a stunning mix of rainforest and surf-battered coast line. Not many people live here, perhaps due to the dramatic weather it can experience.


We had time out from the beauty and visited puzzling world, where we were lost in a maze for nearly two hours!


Introducing Janelle-our little hire car who is transporting us around.


The Fox glacier


Franz-Josef glacier. Which is the better glacier- Franz or Fox?


The cheeky Kea- a very intelligent parrott, which will attack the rubber on your car.


A weka- a rare flightless bird. We are yet to see a KIWI!


The Pancake rocks at Punakaki. These are over 35 million years old, formed from the marine life on the bottom of the ocean but scientists are uncertain as to why they have created the pancake shapes.


Pancake rocks.


The longest swingbridge in NZ, stretching over the Buller Gorge.


The stunning west coast of the south island


And again!


The fern. A symbol frequently used in NZ, particularly for sports teams.





The Te Waikoropupu Springs in Pohara-apparently the clearest in the world.