Just a quick update before I go back outside to watch the sun set over the sea. I know, life is rough. Anyway, yesterday I arrived in Punakaiki, a tiny hamlet nestled between the coast and Paparoa National Park. The landscapes in Paparoa are unreal; Tiffany would be in absolute heaven here, since everywhere you look there are gorges and other rock formations. I went on a 3-hour walk this morning through one of the gorges, which was pretty interesting since I had to cross a very strong river–fed by all the recent rain–but a very kind tour guide walked me across the river after he got his entire group across. He said it’s the way he meets girls!

I feel like it’s one of the coolest places I’ve been so far, but then again, I feel that way about each new and completely different landscape I encounter here in New Zealand.

Punakaiki is a small place, but lots of people come and visit here because of the Pancake Rocks & blowholes. The rocks are interesting formations of limestone and (another form of stone that I’ve forgotten at the moment) that have been pancaked together to create really bizarre and unique cliffs. These cliffs are kind of like the Twelve Apostles in that the water is constantly wearing away at them, slowly changing them over thousands of years; this has created arches underneath them that allow a little water through, which sprays up into the air and creates a blowhole. It’s really amazing to see, especially today–yesterday I had a quick run down there when the heavy downpours stopped, but then they started again and I got soaked. It rained all through the night–typical on the West Coast of New Zealand, where it rains over 5m per year–but thankfully today has been beautiful.

Anyway, time is up. I will hopefully have more (and cheaper) internet time tomorrow, so hopefully I’ll get you some pictures then!