Hokitika

Got up 7am as there were clear skies above the mountains. Legged it down to the Mount Cook viewing point & were not disappointed, managed to get excellent views of all the peaks. Set off then to our next stop over point Hokitika. We had a few stops along the way to admire the views as we had the mountain ranges on one side & the Tasman sea on the other, whilst driving through the rain forest. We have little or no idea what day of the week it is let alone the date. It will be a miracle if we manage to get to our flights on the right day if not the right time. Hey who cares??
Have fantastic accommodation at the Annabelle motel in Hokitika, beautiful room with all amenities, a bathroom that makes you want to shower all day as the drench shower pours straight out of the ceiling into a double spa bath. We also had a wooden deck outside with native planting and driftwood. After doing the jade shops we head off to the beach which is hot but with a cooling breeze off the sea. The Tasman is as wild as ever and huge surfing waves crash onto the beach. No one is swimming or surfing. There are not many beaches that we have come across where it is safe to swim. Driftwood lines the top of the beach, I mean whole trees that have been washed down from the forest. They have been out at sea and then washed ashore so they are smooth & worn and make a very dramatic sight on the beach. After a good walk we laze about a bit and have a really good meal in the Cafe de Paris in the evening.