We were only in Hokitika for a night before heading to Golden Bay for a few days in a house by the beach. Hokitika is a small town right on the coast and this was the last day of decent weather that we had for a while! We’ve not got any shots of the town itself but I like this one that Mark took of the beach.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
It was a long slow seven hours in the pouring rain to get to Pohara in Golden Bay and I've marked various spots on the map below so you can see the route taken.
View Larger Map
The weather up the west coast was absolutely foul and made for dangerous driving at times but we managed to get some views of the coast. These photos show the view up and down the coast from the road
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
When we made it to Punakaiki, home of the pancake-stack rocks, the weather was so bad we literally ran from the car to have lunch in a café and back again. Mark took one for the team and braved the pelting rain and gusty winds to get this one shot of the rocks. No disrespect to Mark but I don't think that this is really a good example of whats there!
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
Needless to say he came back drenched and it was about this time that there was a car swap. Paul got Mark and Euan and Mum came with me for a more leisurely ride in the gutless mobile.
Although the photo doesn't show it (all it really shows is the grey rain!), Buller Gorge was spectacular even in the rain. There were some amazing u-bends in the river with the steep forest-covered hills rising straight upwards. The road was rather narrow and passed under some ominous looking overhangs that made me feel like I should put my foot down to get under them quickly before they fell.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
We stopped at this rather bizarre collectables store and there was a lady sitting outside
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
Paul thought she was one of those life-like stuffed dummies that are sometimes put outside stores like this (could be a Kiwi thing perhaps?) and wanted to know how much. The lady barely moved the entire time we were there.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
The weather cleared a bit by Motueka and the drive over the steep ranges into Golden Bay wasn’t too bad at all. This part of NZ is full of artists; potters, sculptors, painters and all sorts of craftsmen produce some really unique pieces of artwork work. This garage is a good example of a local painters work. It was very effective.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
This is a closeup of the mural
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
We visited quite a few studios and I bought some lovely pottery from a potter who originated from England but had moved here some 30 years ago. What surprised me was the number of foreign artists who now reside here.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
It was a long slow seven hours in the pouring rain to get to Pohara in Golden Bay and I've marked various spots on the map below so you can see the route taken.
View Larger Map
The weather up the west coast was absolutely foul and made for dangerous driving at times but we managed to get some views of the coast. These photos show the view up and down the coast from the road
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
When we made it to Punakaiki, home of the pancake-stack rocks, the weather was so bad we literally ran from the car to have lunch in a café and back again. Mark took one for the team and braved the pelting rain and gusty winds to get this one shot of the rocks. No disrespect to Mark but I don't think that this is really a good example of whats there!
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
Needless to say he came back drenched and it was about this time that there was a car swap. Paul got Mark and Euan and Mum came with me for a more leisurely ride in the gutless mobile.
Although the photo doesn't show it (all it really shows is the grey rain!), Buller Gorge was spectacular even in the rain. There were some amazing u-bends in the river with the steep forest-covered hills rising straight upwards. The road was rather narrow and passed under some ominous looking overhangs that made me feel like I should put my foot down to get under them quickly before they fell.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
We stopped at this rather bizarre collectables store and there was a lady sitting outside
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
Paul thought she was one of those life-like stuffed dummies that are sometimes put outside stores like this (could be a Kiwi thing perhaps?) and wanted to know how much. The lady barely moved the entire time we were there.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
The weather cleared a bit by Motueka and the drive over the steep ranges into Golden Bay wasn’t too bad at all. This part of NZ is full of artists; potters, sculptors, painters and all sorts of craftsmen produce some really unique pieces of artwork work. This garage is a good example of a local painters work. It was very effective.
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
This is a closeup of the mural
(Photo: Mark Cooper)
We visited quite a few studios and I bought some lovely pottery from a potter who originated from England but had moved here some 30 years ago. What surprised me was the number of foreign artists who now reside here.
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