Arthur's Pass NZ

 I woke to the sound of waves and the tide rolling away from the shore once more. There was a purple hue on the horizon, signifying impending sunrise. (Sunrise happens on the east coast and it takes a while for the rays to crest the mountains and directly light the land/ocean here.)

For a while, I was content to stay in my sleeping bag and watch the day unfold from inside VanGogh. But as I reached for muesli and milk - breakfast in bed, van style - and discovered lumps in the milk, I knew the only reasonable thing to do was make tracks to Greymouth proper and hit up the grocery store and coffee shop. "One flat white, please!"

I was tootling away nicely toward Arthur's Pass, with a hike on my mind, when I saw a road sign for Brunner Lake. Didn't Laureen say not to miss this? She sure did! So, I detoured. And it was worth it!

I rounded out the Brunner Lake excursion with a nice chat with a guy on an excessively enthusiastic bike ride and a lady visiting from Belgium, as we dipped our collective toes into the cold water. 

Arthur's Pass - the main attraction - was just another 30 mins or so up the road. UP being the optimum word. It was indeed a 16% grade to the top! Doable obviously, but steep. Not nearly as scary I remember it being in 1993. I'm guessing they've done some widening and straightening since then. 

I passed the summit and descended a bit into Arthur's Pass village. Cute and cheerful, it boasted a visitor center, lots of cafe type places and wee little cottages. I tried my best to capture on film one of the 3 kea's that were entertaining the tourists. Green-brown bird in a green-brown tree is just not my strength though. 

It was time for a hike. Otira Pass hike seemed like my style. A couple of hours up and down over a track that had been touched by avalanches in several places and provided ample opportunity to scramble over boulders AND jump like a mountain goat across streams.

I texted with Scott along the way AND managed to book a room at Kate's place for tonight in Kumara. Adventurous, productive and fun! (Still suffering with my crazy virus, but not letting it slow me down.)

Kate ran the Greenstone Retreat and welcomed me to her meditation and yoga property that was alive with cicadas and flowers. I shared the adorable historic house with Maria from Austria. This was the perfect place for me to shower, do laundry, fix dinner and then relax with Maria outside all evening. We polished off that red wine I had been chauffuering since Blenheim!