On the road again - Greymouth to Stewart Island

... By 3pm I was on my way for Greymouth via Arthur Pass and despite all the photograph stops, I made it to the Global Village hostel by 8pm.
(I had to make a new post because apparently there is a limit per post)

It was raining the next day, fortunately because I reanalysed wanted to go hike these fern tree forests again. BUT my objective was to get to the Southland and spend time there.
So I trodded on.
Greymouth, Hokitika, soon after here the fern tree forest ends, Harihari (but respect the speed limit), Franz Jozef Glacier, Fox Glacier where I stopped for lunch, stunning Bruce bay, until Haast.
 Here the coastal road with it’s impressive dense forests with up to 50m high Rimu trees ends.
It turns inland to follow Haast river and up to the Pass to reach Wanaka.
I didn’t stop at Wanaka. Wanaka is a good base to go see Mount Cook and its glacier but I had a few more hours and was hoping at least to get to Queenstown.
Wanaka was also the end of the beautiful exotic west coast forest area. Here, you are in a large version of Europe. Same but at a larger scale. Boring to drive through.
To reach Queenstown, you drive through a desert area, the road follows a gorge. 
At the Department of Conservation they weren’t very positive when I asked about forests in the area. 
After a night at the Sir Cedric hostel in town I headed to the Bikes and Barbers shop to try an ebike. After a wee tour and a nice chat with the shop team I took off again, on to Te Anau.

Te Anau is base camp to visit Fiordland and specifically Milford Sound, even though most organisers start from Queenstown. I stayed 3 nights. One day to explore and plan a hike. The second day to do the great Milford Sound hike with Trips&Tramps and then take the slow road back, stopping a lot to enjoy the views.
South of Te Anau, I visited Rakatu wetlands rehabilitation project, the giant Tōtara trees and lake Hauroko. It was getting late in the day. the light on Te Waewae bay was amazing (see pics!) but then it was time for the last leg to Invercargill.
From Invercargill, I drove out to the Catlins to see the petrified forest, McLean’s waterfall and some more. The next day, I caught the ferry from Bluff for the only planned part of my trip: 3 night at the hostel in Oban on Stewart Island.

The 11am ferry got me there early, so I took some time to do some reconnaissance. Here are some things to do for me:
- look for kiwis by dusk - done (the looking, not the seeing)
- meet some locals - done, at the Drunken Octopus café
- ask at the DoC for good walks - done
- walk down Fern gully - ...

- do a hike near Maori bay - done
- visit Ulva Island to see the birds - done

one week to go before I fly back...