On to Franz Joseph

I am working my way up along the west coast of New Zealand using Inter City coaches. The coaches have proven to be a reliable, comfortable and an entertaining mode of transport giving me ample time to take in the stunning views on route - at times the driver would pull over and allow us to disembark and take photos of the panoramas. It is a long drive to Franz Joseph from Wanaka so there are several short stops on route including a meal stop at a remote salmon farm selling all manor of snacks based on their farm stock and certainly supported by the regular patronage of bus companies on the west coast route. But be aware that there are sand flies here so do not linger too long outside…

The west coast is a mix of deep glacial valleys and towering mountain peaks covered in a thick covering of sub tropical rain forest and occasionally topped with the white crests of snow and ice. The trees are densely packed and protected in national parks overseen by the DOC (Department of conservation) - as the forests have grown they have developed their own habitats for a range of life, which only David Attenborough could do full justice to… It is wonderful to walk among the moss covered trunks of this almost pristine habitat and discover hidden from site glittering waterfalls… As the bus carries on the driver points out places of interest including significant farms, industries, tectonic faults and glacial features. I find the rivers and faults of particular interest. The rivers due to the evidence of their power - demonstrated through the huge boulders and trees scattered across there pebbled and rocky braided channels, dragged from their perches by the powerful flow of the water. The river beds on route have risen dramatically with the deposited load and this has left some areas at risk from flooding and in turn has led to the governmental agencies making every effort to complete defensive projects to keep transport and communication routes open including dredging channels and defending river banks with rock armour and banks while re-building/strengthening roads and bridges. The faults are also evident in the landscape as we pass with great cracks running up the hillsides creating gaps in the vegetation cover for water to cascade down impressively.