Rain, rain & buckets of rain

Days 13, 14 & 15

Day 13: Wānaka to Franz Josef Glacier

The last few days have been driving intensive with combinations of heavy rain combined with heavier rain. We did have a few timely breaks and managed to visit a Kiwi (bird not fruit) sanctuary and walk the Franz Josef glacier trail. Alas, no glacier to be seen.

Find the glacier

(Glacier is somewhere in the valley between the two mountains.) We both found it interesting that we have a glacier in our backyard that, perhaps, we will stop taking for granted.

Day 14: Franz Josef Glacier to Hokitika 

Another rain filled day of driving the wet west coast. Sunny breaks here and there gave us some nice rainbows and the highlight of the day was our visit to the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks.

The Pancake Rocks are part of a heavily eroded limestone formation where the ocean bursts through underwater channels and escapes via vertical blowholes. The rocks date back some 30 million years. 

Dinner was back in Hokitika, a cool beach town where anyone over 35 is looked at suspiciously.

Day 15: Hokitika to Nelson

Weather conditions repeat … but finally as we cross over the mountain passes and descend to the coast and Abel Tasman, skies cleared and temperatures began to warm. 

We arrived in Nelson to a warm, sunny and windy late afternoon. One of the first things that you will notice when arriving in Nelson is its vibrant downtown area and its arts & crafts scene. Nelson has been described as the “Naples of the Southern Hemisphere”. Dinner was shared small plates at the Urban Oyster Bar & Eatery, well worthy of a revisit at another time.

Tomorrow we plan on visiting Abel Tasman National Park for a hike and swim plus we have a kayak booked for the afternoon. Hopefully the afternoon winds will be kind and gentle. 

Day 16: Nelson (fun fact)

Nelson is the geographic centre of New Zealand.

We found the evidence when we reached the summit of Botanical Hill, a 6km walk from our accommodation.

Thanks for joining us on our travels! ❤️