After a few days in Westport and a memorable visit to the Coal Museum where we were educated on the tough job of extracting coal from the hills and the difficult lives of the miners and their families, we headed north to Karamea, about 100 kilometers, though we had no idea of the size of the hill we were to drive over. The day was a little rainy and as we progressed,  a misty cloud enveloped us and covered the whole Karamea bluff. It cleared enough for me to be able to see the pristine native rain forest, huge matai trees, punga and southern rata which are coming into flower. It's an eye boggling drive and I couldn't help feeling a little nervous when looking down at the very sharp slope close to the road. Once parked up behind the Village Hotel, we were ready to roam and armed with a map if the area after a visit to the wonderful information center, we set of for the Fennian walk, an old gold mining trail which follows a river and was supposed to take us to some limestone caves. It turned out the caves were too far, but the walk was beautiful. On the way back we met Duncan from Scotland. Duncan is not young, probably in his 70s, but is much fitter than me and says he intends to do the Tongariro Crossing. I think he'll make it. The next day, with new friends Allen and Maureen, we headed out to the DOC camp which marks the entrance to the Heaphy Track and walked an hour in to Scotts Beach. The day was glorious and the scenery so beautiful.

We had no plan for Christmas Day, but it turned out happily, as I knew it would. We shared our Christmas meal with new friends made on the road and raised a glass of Christmas cheer. That was enough.

I can recommend the Railway Station Cafe which is suffering from loss of trade due to the Kaikoura earthquake. We had their set menu three course lunch which was amazing value and so creative and interesting with homemade icecream dessert Yummmm.ion

My memories of Blenhiem turned out to be well out of date. It has definitely grown and is a prosperous area, due I guess to the growth of the wine industry. Peter Jackson's aviation museum in Blenhiem was well worth a look. 

From Blenhiem we headed to Havelock. a lovely South Island day for wandering around the boats, mostly older cabin cruisers, ideal for  the Sounds. A few kilometers down the road is Canvastown which is close to beautiful Pelorous Bri.dge, where there is a DOC camp. I recall childhood holidays jumping off rocks and swimming in the deep water holes. Unfortunately it was raining. We had parked a few  behind the 'Trout' an old pub at Canvastown which is a few kilometers along the road. It looked a bit rough at first but on going in for a beer and a game of pool we were told the Trout's Christmas party was on with a band. By then another large bus had turned up and we met John and Rikki. The four of us trooped over for the music which turned out to be kareoke, but they played all the old numbers from the 60s 70s and 80s soon everyone was up dancing. Goodness knows where they all came from, but they were rocking in their gumboots. We had a ball.

Five nights were spent at the Racecourse in Richmond, Nelson, a private camp which takes only NZMCA members. We needed to do the washing, shopping and get a haircut for me, but the cycling was good and Nelson always a super town. We intend to go over the hill to Takaka on the return trip.

About halfway between Nelson and Westport is the old mining town of Muchison, which has gone up market since I was last there. (I can't even remember when that was.) The old buildings remain and a couple of second hand shops had me inside in a flash. Rust and Dust occupies the old Commercial Stables, and is a veritable museum come shop, with the most interesting bits and pieces from the town's hey day in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Today there is a proper backpackers hostel, cafes and updated pubs for the modern tourist. You can do jet boating and other rather pricey activities, but we were happy with a couple of walks. We drove out to Six Mile, cleverly named for its distance from Murchison. Here is one of the country's only remaining power stations from that time. It looks to be in good order though is no longer working. I'm sure the locals were pleased to get power back in 1921. Murchison must be a cold dark place in winter. My Mum tells me her grandmother, Nell Reyling lived there for a while when she was first married, and hated it. It probably wasn't the nicest place for a young woman back then.

Warren on the walk from the power station. We are loving the South Island beech forests.

Last night was spent at Lyell DOC camp deep in the Buller Gorge. There was once a town here and a school, catering for the families of the gold miners who had set out to try their luck. In many cases it was the publicans and shop keepers who made the most money in those places.
We walked up to the cemetery where quite young people are buried, including a child and a woman of about 30. Life must have been tough with little in the way of medical services or any facilities.

Above is the site of an old pub and boarding house for those working at the battery.

We have made it to Westport on NZ's West Coast, thanks to Warren's excellent driving. Today we followed the Buller River through the Buller Gorge. The road is very narrow in places with several one way bridges to cross, but the views are spectacular.

We have finally made it across Cook Strait and are enjoying parking up at a super campsite, a paddock with artisian water, just a few kilometers from Picton. It is owned by an elderly couple who are farmers here. Les likes to check out the campers and is a big yakker! He and his wife are very generous in letting NZMCA members stay for $5 a night.

One of the wonderful aspects of this lifestyle is that jobs don't dictate our lives, which means that every day we have a choice about what we do. We work around the weather. If its fine we're off, and if not, may do indoor activities, catching up with inside jobs. Getting dressed early is not necessarily a priority! Not having a schedule gave me the freedom to participate in NANORIMO. National November Writing Month, a web-based programme which challenges a writer to complete 50,000 words in the month of November. It does require focus and commitment, but I made it. Yay! I just wish I could keep that focus year round.

Housework doesn't go away and there is a surprising amount, considering the small space we live in. All the dirt from living, cooking and walking around is concentrated in one area. The floor needs sweeping daily and washing fairly often. There is nothing worse than a smelly loo so keeping the bathroom sweet is a priority. Our dishwasher is mostly Warren, and we have to collect our water and heat it whenever we need it. Laundry is either done by hand or, more often, at the laundromat. I recently did a week's worth at my sister's house. Thanks Heather and Chris!

Picton is as pretty as ever. I don't think it has changed a lot since I was last here, at least ten years ago, although there are probably a few more bars and cafes. Perhaps the Kaikoura Earthquake is the cause of quiet streets. Yesterday we went for a bike ride to Waikawa Bay which provides a mooring for small boats.  Cycling is such great exercise, we need to use those bikes more! Picton's streets suddenly filled in the afternoon when the Christmas Parade was due to start. It was good to see the community support for their marine themed event.

In one of the cafes, we met an English couple who live in Nelson. They recommended the walk out to Bob's Bay, at the top of the right hand arm of the harbour. It was a beautiful bush walk, carved out of the bluff and looking out over the sounds. While sitting on the shingly beach, with one other walker, the earth was suddenly shoved what felt like a meter one way, then back. "Did you feel that?" our lone walker yelled. We had. It was a 5.5 quake and the first I have ever felt in all my years as a Kiwi living in New Zealand. Since we are travelling in the South Island it may not be the last.

Whatever else is happening (we do have a few dramas along the way) we always eat well.

Here is my version of Curried Thai Chowder

Thai Chowder (Can use seafood, chicken or tofu)

2 tbsp Oil

One onion, a few cloves of garlic, grated ginger (if you like it)

One carrot in strips

Thai curry paste ( about a dessert spoon)

Chilli (maybe though the thai paste is a bit hot).

1 tin light coconut milk

Soy sauce 

Several mugs of water

Ramen noodles. (You can use rice noodles or spaghetti but they take longer to cook)

Green vege, eg Chinese cabbage, or spinach

Fish and prawns or shellfish, or sliced chicken (you might like to cook it first), or tofu.

Saute the onion, garlic and ginger, add carrot and Thai paste. Add a mug of water or two. Add tin of coconut milk and soy sauce. Taste test. Add coconut milk. Once soup base is prepared, add the ramen noodles, seafood, chicken or tofu. Taste test and adjust as you prefer.

Eat.

Lyn