Down Under 2008: 29 December, Marahau to Rangitata

Jody’s notes are in this font. My notes are in this font.

There was a long drive ahead of us but we got up leisurely… We were on vacation after all. We drove south and west [through the stunning Motueka Valley

Motueka Valley

and finally met up with the West Coast road.

West Coast - escaped apostles

The west coast drive gave us amazing views of the ocean and some of the lost Great Ocean Road Apostles.

Because we had such a long drive we only allowed ourself one or two planned stops. One of them was pancake rocks. It was a 15 minute walk. We started in a lush tropical forest that opened onto oversized grass plants and finally a cliff. We climbed down the cliff onto a beach of tiny stones. It was beautiful. [Still not sure which were the “pancake rocks” though] but We had seen so many beautiful sites and we were still a long way away from our stopping point so we turned around and went back. Oh well the walk through the forest, down the cliff and along the beach of tiny stones was enough for us.

Jungle walk

beach

Jo made me a dandelion crown

That was before I mooned her - she wasn't fast enough with the camera

Jo feeling sassy in the jungle

So sad it is out of focus - sorry Jo

We turned inland just south of Greymouth and headed for Arthur’s pass and more stupendous scenery

The drive from Marahau to Rangitata was so beautiful with such varied landscape – pastoral, farm land, sheep, and deer in the north, rocky cliffs, palm tress, and breath taking ocean views on the West Coast, and steep peaks, sweeping river plains and mountain flowers leading up to and over Arthur’s pass.

Arthur's Pass

Arthur's Pass closer

[We picked up a hitchhiker around Greymouth – at the coast where we turned East to go across. A young bloke trying to get back to Christchurch after car had broken down on way to New Year’s Eve festivities. Mildly entertaining for a couple of hours. But no pictures of him – sorry.]

Rangitata was still a good 1-2 hours away (we did not know) so we pulled over when there was still light to explore where we were going to camp. We pulled off the road and a large turn out next to a tributary to the Rakaia river, just before Rakaia Gorge. It was a nice circle spot. We climbed down to the tributary and walked out to the Rakaia/Rangitata river. It was so much open acres of rocky dry river bed. I could not grasp what it would be like when it was full to its banks. Across the confluence was a large eroded cliff face, flat and tan. Caryn made a cairn in the tributary.