Of a Road Trip - Part Four

Today was the drive from Westport to Franz Josef, with pauses in between.The weather was pretty bad to start off with, but I was determined to visit Cape Foulwind and then check out the Seal Colony.Cape Foulwind lived up to its name, but the scenery was great. I met several wekas. They’re friendly wee people.The Seal Colony was a 500m trek to a viewing platform. If you look hard enough you can see them!Then off south. The road was again, magnificent to drive on. The weather closed in and there were times of driving through very low dense cloud.I loved Punakaiki (the Pancake Rocks).Didn’t spend much time in Greymouth. Loved Hokitika. For a small town it actually had a vibe.On the way South I dropped into an old goldmine for a look-see. Also stopped off at Shantytown, which is a brilliant window into our mining and foresting past.I arrived at Franz Josef in good time, and decided to go out on a limb. Tonights accommodation is at a backpackers. $20. Sharing a dorm with eight others. I’m deliberately getting out of my comfort zone. Twenty years in Auckland does tend to soften you.Of course, having an iPhone and driving the Legacy saw me get mocked by the staff. Again, what is it with people knowing they can mock me within two minutes of meeting me? Gah.- Simon