It was raining when I got up this morning but it started to ease up so I took a chance and headed for Hokitika Gorge which is about an hour drive away. The gamble paid off as the rain stopped about the same time I arrived. And I was there early enough to be the crowds and, in fact, at one point I had the swinging bridge all to myself.
The gorge is beautiful and the water is exactly the color it appears in the photos. It was well worth the drive.
Afterwards I stopped for lunch in the little town of Hokitika, which is a very artsy place. They have many galleries and shops that sell works of local artists. This is also the heart of New Zealand jade ( also known as greenstone or by the Maori name – pounamu) country and there are several shops selling locally carved jade.
Tomorrow it’s a short two hour drive to Franz Joseph Glacier. Hopefully the weather will cooperate so I can get some good views of the mountains.
Oh, and I love swinging bridges too. Looks like great fun. Love the color of the water.