 We spent a great night in surrounding pure nature and a wounderful wodden house. Today we continue our trip along the west coast with a detour around Hokatika. First stop is Hokatika 'downtown', known for ... |
 ... its craftmenship in juwelery, especially greenstone (jade) and perls. |
 We visit a workshop for greenstone manufacturing where you can observe the whole process of creating a piece (mostly with traditional Maori design). You even can try yourself. |
 In the middle two greenstones are in their original form. Above on the left a cut is displayed. To the left is a Maori battle weapon (unpolished), to the top right is polished greenstone. |
 As you can maybe guess from the first image, Hokatika is a small city in a quite old english and charming style. A walk through the streets with the old bank office serving as a art studio ... |
 ... and the smallest cottage I have ever seen ... |  .. plus the old library proves this impression. Anyway, the 'Hokatika Herritage Walk' brochure is avaible from here as the building houses the library, the museum and the visitor information as well. |
 One have-to-see object is the old customs house directly at the old wharf, which was heavily used by trade sail ships in the 19th century. |
With a last glance back we leave Hokatika for Hokitika Gorge, 33kms inland from Hokitika, ... |
 ... a very tranquil and beautiful place where a swing bridge spans the colourful waters of Hokitika River amidst rocky banks and native bush. |
 Another 30kms away is Lake Kaniere, which offers plenty of easy to moderate walks through native bush and Rimu forrest. |
 Just on the other side of the road there is the track to the colourful Dorothy Falls pour down into Lake. |
 It's late afternoon when we returned to our originaly intended route: the highway 6. The coast consists of long flat bays with sandy or stony beaches carrying a lot of drift wood - dunes on the one side, big waves on the other. |
 Arriving at Punakaiki you realise that he landscape has changed again: the coast line is a cliff now with many rocks scattered around before it, here and there a beach interrupts the continous stone edges. |
 Last stop for today are the famous Pancake Rocks. |
 They got there name from the layered structure in the rocks. |
 Side-by-side with the 'pancakes' are the blow holes, where under good conditions (best: stormy weather) water is blown up into the air through caves washed out by the water movement. |
 Our accommodation for the night looks very cool. It's an ensemble of huts scattered in wild bush, like this one. |
 Very cool is the so called 'Star Gazer', a two person hut (what else?), where you can watch the stars when lying face up in your bed. Very romantic indeed! |
 As the evening is proceeding and dawn coming I go for a sun-set-walk down to the water. There is this nice sheltered beach. |
 I am not alone at this beautiful spot. Everyone is amazed by the scenery, even the dog! ;-) |
 The last rays cast silhouettes of the surrounding rocks (and visitors, of course!). |
 The day closes with an amazing sunset into the sea with a clear horizon. |