Day 50/72: Hokitika!

Ooooo what a lovely Sunday!

We started the day by some window shopping in Hokitika. Hokitika (either Hoe-ki-teeka, or Ho-ki-teeka we still aren't sure and no one else is 100% sure either, locals or otherwise) is a very small town famous for it's Jade trade, and we spent a while browsing very expensive Jade carvings and a Jade seat that cost the same as a very nice house in the area. We then went and had some pies for early lunch, (steak, bacon and cheese, and mince and cheese).

It was a beautiful day, so we went in search of some water. A couple of places were highly recommended to us so we had a look. The first was a lake (Lake Kaniere) with a waterfall that fell into a river that fed the lake. We decided to go for a swim and the pool the waterfall had formed was freezing but it was great to feel the water crashing so close by! We then wandered down to the lake front, surrounded by mountains (amazing) and had a paddle.

The next place was Hokitika Gorge. This is one of the most famous places in South Island for the incredible blue of the water. It's due to the sediment and minerals in the rock that the water rushes over, and its absolutely amazing, see photos! You get to the Gorge via a swing bridge that runs over the river. It's stunning, the huge great cliffs and rocks with the greenery of the trees and bushes and then the astonishing blue of the river! We went down to the edge, took some photos and had a swim. It was as cold as it looks and churned in the mini bay we were in as the river flowed quickly by, very exciting!

Then we headed on down to the Franz Josef Glacier. We have plans to do some walks around there tomorrow so thought getting there and starting early would be a good idea. It was a clear evening and the sun set behind the trees, lighting up the mountains as we cooked pasta, such a nice end to the week!Read more