The West Coast: Westport, Greymouth, Hokitika, and Franz Joseph

Bazils Hostel; Facebook Photo

          This past weekend was well spent on a "Hello New Zealand"  tour to the west coast. It was very nice to have a break, yet not so nice to come back to school work that had to be done. The tour was lead by a wise and humble kiwi who was more than willing to answer any questions. He is a retired teacher and had lots of interesting information and he was also great company for the group with all kinds of quirky remarks and jokes as we drove across the countryside. We started in Christchurch at the University and made our way in a 13 passenger van. Half of the crew were american and the rest came from Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, China, and Japan.

Bazils Hostel; Facebook Photo

         

        Westport was first on the agenda. Friday was mostly spent traveling to our hostel. I really enjoyed this hostel. The hostel was so unique and had a very distinct personality. Bazils was also a surf school. Some of the artwork on the walls was just awesome. I did not get a chance to take pictures of the place, but check out some of the pictures from their facebook page: Bazils Facebook I was only here for a night, but it was such a great place to stay. The rooms and living areas were spotless, the beds were very comfortable, and the place just had such a great feel to it. I wish I could go back and go surfing! Bazils is a must if you stopping by the area.



                  

       The next day we started off bright and early to head to the coast. This sight was beautiful with the fresh morning sun. The coast often has cloudy and rainy weather, so we were quite fortunate. We were walking along the trails to see the scenic overlook where seals played below us. The rest of the day was filled with stops to various scenic beaches and the pancake rocks. I was intrigued how round the rocks were at the beach from the infinite numbers of powerful waves. While taking tons of pictures, I accidentally got too close for comfort and ended up getting soaked. The waves at that beach were very strong and huge right on the shore.

        Later, we went to shops in Hokitika filled with all different types of Maori orientated souvenirs, decorations, and jewelry.  Pounamu pendants ring up quite the price. A tv presentation explained that pounamu is found in a river valley near the mountain range. Only descendants of Maori can collect pounamu and non Maori must be escorted to the river, only taking what is approved. I thought it was so interesting. The tale/legend behind pounamu was something along the lines of a tribal conflict involving a woman. Facing defeat, a tribal warrior threw the woman off the edge, for if he cannot have her no one can. Her remnants then turned to stone and now lie throughout the mountain range. Pounamu has a very significant spiritual significance, hence why only Maori decedents are able to collect. I wish I knew more, but that is about all I gathered. 

         I really like the look of tribal designs, such as the tiki carvings. They often had pieces of shiny, colorful paua shell as eyes or accents. I can remember growing up and wanting to make some of my own. I wanted some of the ones in the shop, but was not willing to pay the price. Guess I will just have to carve my own haha. After looking around, we had some lunch. Fish and chips is very common and you will see shops everywhere. I definitely ate my share of it for the week. Later that night we settled in Greymouth at our hostel for the night; again, another great hostel. The next day we hit the trail and took some pictures of the Franz Joseph Glacier. The conditions were not ideal, but you can't have it all in a trip. The glacier illuminated the clouds with a deep blue aura.

       The trip on the way back to Christchurch after the glacier included several quick stops here and there. The roads were thin and windy, conforming to the shapes of the land. The view from the van was almost always something special to see. The rolling hills were a perfect sight in the setting sun. The hills glowed of gold from the grasses. The powerful ocean, rolling hills, and pounamu shops just about sums up my weekend. I apologize for the disheveled arrangement of pictures at the end. Blogger is very fussy with the pictures. I am trying to find a way to put my pictures on an online album and would be open to suggestions! Thanks. 

Take Care

-Scott