Mmm...pancakes...the road from Westport to Graymouth

Day 17. Even more wild coast

Punakaiki to Graymouth

Daily total: 88.18km Running total: 1065.05km

It is a stunning coastline. Walk it, ride it, drive it, crawl it. Whatever method you choose, just do it slowly. Breath it in and enjoy every moment of it. 

Graymouth is the boarding town for the Trans Alpine train. I turned up to the information center during boarding time. It was choas. It was too many people in such a small space. I was overwhelmed. Was not used to so many people. So many lost sheep in one place. 

Day 16. Out and about in Punakaiki

Punakaiki 

Daily total: 24km Running total: 976.87km

Caught up with my cycling buddy Julia from the other day but missed meeting up with my Wellington buddy Kathleen. Camped out on the river bed again and spent the night with my old friend fire. Smoke in your face sandflies. Just spent the day pottering about in the sun. Here is a bunch of photos from the day.

Day 15. Rocks that you cannot eat

Westport to Punakaiki

Daily total: 75.58km Running total: 952.87km

After a sound sleep and a big blog update, I end up leaving way behind schedule. As always. Could explain my increased levels of fitness, always rushing to make it on time. Don and Robyn bestow a tube of condensed milk to me for my journies. Thanks, the stuff is amazing but I'm sure I'll become a slave to the white stuff in no time. 

The road to Punakaiki is a rapidly changing one, going from open flats to forests to wild coast lines. 

Just before Punakaiki, there is a track called the Truman Track. It is short but takes you down to a beach with strong waves and rock formations carved out by the sea.  Then up the road are the Pancake Rocks themselves.

 Also, at the top of Bullock Creek Road, you can freedom camp anywhere in the National Park. I camped out on a dry river bed with a couple of French. We had a fire! Ah...fire. It had been a long time.