We traveled from Franz Josef to Hokitika.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked:

We started the day with a helicopter flight, as shown in the previous post. After that, we went next door to the Full of Beans Cafe for a second breakfast; this sign shows a sampling of Kiwi expressions:

Amazingly, they had a potato top meat pie, so I had to have that (potato top pies seem to be becoming hard to find, unfortunately):

Whataroa River:

A long one lane bridge with passing lanes:

Another one lane bridge:

Weka:

We went to the West Coast Tree Top Walk, and had lunch at their cafe:

Yes, another pie; gotta get as many as possible as our trip comes to an end:

Then we did the tree top walk; here’s the map:

And stop info:

Unfortunately a school trip was on the walk at the same time; they were having fun making the cantilevered portion bounce:

Onward; some cows going through a tunnel under the road:

Hokitika:

Arriving at Shining Star Beachfront Accommodation:

Our site:

Shower:

Dulcie’s Takeaways for dinner:

We took the takeaways to eat with a beachfront view; a classic Kiwi experience:

Shipwreck memorial:

Hokitika downtown:

Back at the campground, we walked along the path to the beach:

We traveled from Lake Hāwea to Franz Josef over Haast Pass.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked:

Lake Hāwea:

One lane bridge:

Thunder Creek Falls:

Mountains:

Another one lane bridge:

Snowy mountain:

Spiker Cafe in Haast for lunch:

“Two Passing Bays Ahead”:

A stop at Ship Creek:

Some interesting rocks on the beach:

A dolphin:

Knight’s Point lookout:

Monument celebrating the highway connecting Westland with Otago:

Flax:

Snowy mountains:

Another long one lane bridge:

Maori Beach:

Yet another long one lane bridge:

Snowy mountains:

Arriving at Orange Sheep Campervan Park:

Our site:

We continued south from Murchison to Hammer Springs.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked:

We used the campground kitchen to make breakfast, since we felt like having toast, but didn’t have a toaster in the van:

A caravan / trailer chicken coop out the front of the campground:

We stopped at RD Petroleum to fill up:

Matakitaki River:

Maruia Falls:

“Feel the warmth of Buller”:

An unusual one way bridge, with a traffic light, no doubt due to being too long and curved to see if anyone is coming the other way:

Maruia River:

Picnic lunch at Lewis Park Scenic Reserve:

A helicopter and concrete mixer doing construction:

Hope River:

Waiau River:

Looking back at the bridge we just crossed, the Waiau Ferry Bridge of 1887:

Hanmer Springs:

We were a little early to check in to our campground, so decided to visit Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools first, and another private pool (not as nice as the one in Rotorua, and the front desk staff were a bit clueless; book online to save hassle):

Then we checked in to Hanmer Springs Top 10:

Our first sighting of another McRent camper (we later saw many more; they seemed to be more common the further south we went):

Our site:

Our towels were still damp from the pool, so we hung them on the clothesline (you can see our site in the background):

Later, we walked to Fire & Ice for dinner:

We traveled from Picton to Nelson.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked:

Vineyards:

One lane bridge:

Cows:

Welcome to Nelson:

Maitai River:

Old Electricity Department building:

Waterfront houses:

Beach Cafe for lunch:

Boardwalk to beach:

A walk on Tahunanui Beach:

Whakatu Marae:

Miyazu Garden:

We visited Jens Hansen Jeweler, makers of the One Ring from Lord of the Rings:

We checked in at Tahuna Beach Holiday Park:

Then pretty much immediately did some laundry:

That evening, we went out to Nahm for dinner:

Our table was on the outdoor balcony, so we enjoyed watching a sailing school during dinner:

Back to our site: