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.