6/8/9 Nelson to Westport

We were picked up with yet another new driver, Cameron, who will be our driver for the next week down the West coast into Queenstown. Several passengers weren't ready again and so we circled the town until they were...Cam made them sing karaoke of Queens "Don't Stop Me Now" as a forfeit!!! The song is played every morning to start the day when Cam is driveing. Our first stop was in a town called Richmond to get breakfast and lunch. We are eating our body weight in NZ pies which are fantastic but as a result we are a little porky, so much so that Phil may not be in many photos for a while. He is on strict pudding and chocolate rationing until further notice!!! We headed into the Nelson Lakes National Parks ( this beautiful country is stuffed full of NPs and scenic reserves) where we stopped by a fabulous Lake Rotoiti and got some amazing photos. Some of the braver passengers undressed and jumped into the lake for a cool photo. We took a walk through the beech forest beside the lake and took in the amazing views over the lake at the snow capped mountains beyond.....wow breathtaking!!! our next stop after lunch was at Buller Adventure Tours vis the Buller gorge. The gorge is NZ most scenic drive and the road goes beside the Buller river. The maori name is Kawatiri meaning deep and swift. The river has the most floodwater in the country and covers Hawks Crag, a section of road 10 metres above the low water level most years. We took a jet boat ride down the Buller river driven by Doc the owner of the twin V8 water jet engine boat. It is basically a super powered jet ski which can make really tight fast turns in really shallow waters. We spent an hour in the water racing up and down the river making tight turns, 360 degree rotations at hiogh speed, getting really tight into the rocks and getting soaked and it was great fun. Once back at the Buller base we were treated to hot chocolate and a roaring log fire. Doc dropped us into the hostel later once we were all nice and warm. Cam had said he would drive us to the beach for a few beers and a fire as Westport didn't have too much to offer at night. We went to get some beer and got on the bus to the beach. Phil lit the fire and we stood round it in the very bright full moonlight until the tide put out the fire. we went for a few drinks in the locla pub with some of the others and had quite a laugh with the drunken locals. We are having a fancy dress party tomorrow and one of the lads wants to dress as a smurf for the 80s theme but needed some white boots. a local man came in wearing white gumboots (wellies to you and us) and Luke asked him what he would accept for them. The guy handed them over for two pints and spent the night in his socks...not unusual in NZ but really funny !!! We had booked a quad biking trip with Buller tours for the morning so we went to get some sleep.