Friday, 12th January 2018
Another day started off with the alarm going off at 7.30 – we’re supposed to be retired but it’s really hard (and enjoyable) work travelling around in New Zealand!
First thing I did was to open the curtains – an lo and behold! No rain!! Has our luck turned finally? Gerry had taken a picture to send off to his family to let them know we finally had good weather – but alas – this did not last so long.
After having had breakfast with our host Michelle, we were ready to continue our journey – this time leaving Westport and travelling up north to Nelson – some 225 km, which normally would take some 3.5hours to drive. Today’s designated driver was Gerry – I was glad he chose to drive as immediately after leaving Westport, the rains came again. Westport is known as a coal-mining town, but it’s also a base for outdoor adventures. Because of the rain we have had, we didn’t really want to spend more time around here and wanted to reach sunny Nelson.
The road to Nelson was scenic and interesting, beginning with the dark, forbidding Buller Gorge in which the Buller River flows through the deep canyon between Westport and Murchinson.
Our first stop was at the Kilkenny Lookout. Here we had a very good view of the Buller River which rushed through the Buller Gorge . The current was really strong due to all the rainfalls we’ve had these last few days but the scenery was magnificent and worth getting a bit wet to take some pictures.
We stopped again and this time at the Upper Buller Gorge as we wanted to cross the river with the longest (110 meter) swingbridge – this was a really great experience and we managed to take quite some pictures. It spans the pink granite lined gorge where the river runs and once on the other side we explored the walk where in 1929 the epicenter of a great earthquake was centred. This was very well marked and interesting to see that at one specific point the rocks jutted some 4.5 meters upwards after the earthquake. On our walk around this area, we came face to face with a family of kiwis – yes the real ones – birds! Quite strange actually as these are nocturnal creatures but perhaps due to the darkness created by the rains and the dark woods, they must have been misguided…
It was raining quite a bit so that put us off crossing the river again per zip line as we had to wait a while – so once again we crossed the swingbridge and got back to the car completely soaked!
We had our lunch in the car as we drove on towards Nelson – what at first seemed as though the weather was clearing up, we came into another rainstorm!! It just didn’t want to stop!!
We finally arrived at Nelson and our GPS directed us towards the harbour – the first things we saw were loads of containers and Gerry remarked whether I had booked to stay in a container for the next two days – just in time, and before I could get nasty, we saw the Harbour Lodge on the right side. A cute little place and lovely people at the reception desk. I had booked a harbour view room and indeed we had the perfect room with a balcony overlooking the yacht marina. However when I asked about the coming days’ weather forecast, I was told that the storm should arrive over Nelson this evening and that it would last for the coming two days!! We were told that the farmers really needed the rain badly as it hadn’t rained in the last 6 weeks………..
After settling in and checking our social media, we went for dinner just across from the Harbour Lodge – The Anchor Inn – and had a really great meal! Tonight it’s early back to our hotel as it’s impossible to go for a walk around in this rain – hopefully the rain falls all tonight and tomorrow we will be able to wander around as it is market day on Saturday!
