Over a well executed open-air alpine valley cook-up we said our goodbyes to C and G, they were off to Thailand for a week of fasting and colonic!
We didn't get too deep with the au revoirs as with these two being from 'da-hood' there was a fair chance that we would meet again in the summer. It's heavy going to move on when you've met nice people and had
great times. Today split was another one of those moments. But we were off for some glacier action travelling back across Arthur's pass, poor Toyota.
Fully fuelled, the drive back gave even better views as the sky was as blue as. We got some great views of Deaths Corner, Otira Viaduct and the Otira Gorge. The latter section is known as an important part of NZ's engineering heritage. Back in the winter of 1865 men toiled for over a year to cut a single coach pass from Christchurch to the west coast gold fields. Today it acts as an important pass across the south island. As the Alpine Highway rainforests come to an end, you do a left turn and then wham, there's the pounding west coast. A mountain-to-sea landscape. Does the beauty of this place ever end? With the rugged coast comes deserted driftwood and shell stacked open beaches that you can't help but beachcombe.
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