Life on the South Island

Hello, and Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas/Happy New Year/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus to all!
I wanted to get one more post in before the end of the year and catch up with our comings and goings since mid-November. For orientation sake, here is a map.

South Island, New Zealand

We had managed to see most of our South Island, with one major exception: the West Coast from Greymouth to Haast Pass. Mission now accomplished. We had previously been to Greymouth in August, and wanted to visit again. Tragically, several national disasters have occurred since we arrived, most recently and saddest a coal-mining fire on the West Coast causing 29 miners to lose their lives. My mother's family is all from West Virginia, it hits home with me. The whole nation was in mourning.

Pike River Mine Fire

We drove across Arthur's Pass the day after the memorial service. The mood was quiet, but after two weeks, people wanted to relax a bit and get ready for the holidays. We shopped some, then headed south. First stop was Hokitika, a very pleasant artistic community, with a colorful seaside walk.

Fayne on a Nudibranch Recliner

The highlights of the drive are the two glaciers coming down from Aoraki/Mount Cook. It was not raining, but there were clouds, so they were not at their most ideal, but still worth a short walk up the riverbeds to the terminal faces, first Franz Josef
then the Fox Glacier.
The West Coast is the home of the most voracious sandflies (although most are not this large);

and whitebait, a tiny fish delicacy cooked frequently in a fritter.The drive was mostly not on the coast, but when it was there were some nice vistas.
We got to Haast late in the day, and although it is divided into three parts (like Gaul), Haast Junction, Haast Beach, and Haast Township, but none of them are much of anything.
The road across Haast Pass. There were plenty of waterfalls to enjoy

 and a short walk to the Blue Pools.

 

The days are crazy long here, light from about 5 AM to 10 PM. We drove back though Wanaka. The cabbage trees were in bloom; sort of spectacular.
Another big event recently was the Timaru Rose Festival, which featured the national Rose Show. Lots of spectacular blooms, including these prize-winners.

We hosted a whirlwind visit from Nathan Matthews (Linnea and Doug's eldest). He came and went so quickly I didn't get to snap a photo, but it was good to see him.
Last weekend featured the opening of a new Te Ana Ngāi Tahu Rock Art Centre. This region has the highest concentration of these sites in the country. Here are some examples.

 We are packed now to travel tomorrow back to the states for three weeks for Kimarra's First Birthday in Colorado Springs, then all of us back to the Bay Area for Christmas, then to Fort Bragg for a visit and a little work. Maybe we'll see you.

Happy Haka Christmas!!!

Love, John & Fayne