Westport, NZ

It's Westport. The only thing that's changed since your father's father visited is the declining prospect of gold.

Coal, on the other hand, still very present and currently the predominant source of household heating, as my nostrils deduced.

I'd love to tell you how exciting it was but that would be lying. Our experience of the famed Buller Gorge was very underwhelming, despite the efforts the rain was making to flood it.

Cape foulwind was wild, and to be fair, there were plenty of seals and an exciting swell, but Cat made me walk and I wasn't in the mood.

We ate both meals in and worked all day Wednesday so we hardly made an effort, but our quiet beer in 'town' certainly reinforced our decision to stay in. The stopover highlight might just have been the complimentary cooked breakfast by our air bnb hosts, if it wasn't for the relentless chat we endured for more or less, the entire duration of our stay. My historical knowledge of a two storey dwelling in Westport now exceeds that of any structure I've worked on in my short and wandering career. Nonetheless, a very clean and pleasant stay with lovely people.

We did however, both separately enjoy a nice run, which has been a bit of a silver lining in these work days. Despite an absolute start to finish drenching, I looped the wetlands trail (fitting, I know) on verbal direction from a previously acquainted Cat. It was curvy, flat and completely empty (save for two other joggers). There's nothing like running new routes and even better when they're out on trails in remote areas throughout NZ. I've thoroughly enjoyed all of my runs, which I'd say carry the touristic value of a half or full day walk, with the added entertainment of trying not to get lost.

Onward to Greymouth, the wet coast had really lived up to it's name. The westerly swell made the Punakaiki blowholes come to life, which did impress a pair of scraggly half drowned rats.

Greymouth, however, wasn't worth the night we spent there and would have easily won a scrap with Westport for lowlight of the trip so far. Not even the Monteiths Brewery could persuade us, with it's warm fire, cold beer and fish and chips - falling short with a typical west coast lack of atmosphere almost intentionally by playing Pure NZ tourism ads on loop instead of say...music? Perhaps it's off season. Or there's a pandemic or something.

Full marks for the Global Culture hostel, on a hostel scale. Geez we're mixing up this accommodation!

I do realise I'm being harsh and these are just gateway towns to the wonderous likes of the Heaphy, Paparoa National Park, Arthurs Pass National Park, and the glaciers to name just some. Better weather, more time and a higher level of capability on a mountain bike are three things which could easily turn my review on its head.Read more