still roadtrippin

so since i last posted something i was in Motueka. Well a lot has happened since!
I left golden bay, and managed to spend the whole day getting to westport, which is usually a 3 hour drive. I went for nice walks and the whole day was pretty much a driving day, even though i really didnt get any where. I picked up my dear beloved kayak in murchison and left the town for the last time, this time around in NZ. I got to westport late at night and parked out on the beach.
Westport turned out to be quite an interesting time really. I realized the day after, when i was ready to leave the beach, that my car was stuck in the sand dunes. luckily to older gentlemen helped me out and we spent a good hour digging around the car, jacking up the wheels and pulling my car out. When i finally got it out, i managed to get it stuck again, yes i know, driving skills are not the very best in sand.. the story however does not end there, cause i got it stuck a third time, in which one of the older guys just gave up and drove the car out of the beach for me. good start! then i managed to get lost in the little town of westport and spent a good hour trying to find my way out, which i eventually did!
good thing it was a lovely sunny and warm day!
i drove out to cape Foulwind (yes, thats its name!) and had a walk along the cape towards a protected seal colony. It was absolutely beautifull and all the seals had just gotten pups, so it was a perticularly nice sight.
My next stop turned out to be in charleston, where i picked up two hitchikers. Driving in the car by myself got a little bit lonely and i was starting to get tired of talking to myself. Poor guys, i probably talked them silly.. We went to the Pancake rocks again before going straight to Hokitika. Hoki is one of the largest Jade-manufacturers in NZ and is extremely good for kayaking. Its a lovely little town (one of the biggest on the coast actually) right next to the beach and the southern alps, so in other words it has it all!!
I met up with Regan the raft guide and we went to have dinner at Emmersons house (another raft guide)while waiting for all the other raftguides from murchison to show up. I can safely say it was very good talking to people again!

Then yesterday, (this is the exciting bit) we woke up at 6.30 am (early, i know) and jumped in our vans and headed out to the whitcomb gorge for a helirafting trip! the Whitcomb is one of NZ finest rivers and is absolutely beautiful, full of boulders and the water is just glacier melt. its freezing cold, and grade 5 water. We met up with about 23 other raftguides and kayakers from all over NZ and got helicoptered up to the top of the river ( the only other access is walking in), which is about a ten min flight. i got to sit in front! hehehe
After pumping up the rafts and getting all our equipment ready, we were off! we spent 6 hours on the river, which was beyond my wildest dreams! it was absolutely beautiful and man would i like to kayak it!! the river itself runs through spectacular mountain ranges, it was just indescribable.
After the trip we went back to emmersons house, and had a bonfire on the beach. you just have to love it!!!