DAY 9 FOX TO PUNAKAIKI

We continue our journey north on Hwy 6 and are thrilled with the Southern Alps and Mt. Cook with their snowcaps and glaciers to brighten the spirit.  This coastal route provides many turns and ocean vistas along the way.  This will be my last day with the VFR.  It is a great bike with a lot of power but difficult to maneuver in slow speed situations.  Our old friend Rex met us in Hokitika a town known for its Jade shops.  NZ has its native Jade and it is a good opportunity to purchase without the markup of the big city.  So Rex and I exchanged bikes, completed our paperwork and I now am mounted on a BMW R1150 R.  It is a big boxer twin and get its heritage from the R150RT only they stripped it of all faring.  It is kind of sporting and a demon in the turns.  I rather enjoy the comfort as it sports the BMW telelever  suspension.  Enough with the engineering but it is a great exchange and an upgrade for me.  Thank you John (owner of our tour company) for the customer service.  Thomas is happy with the 650 and the 1150 is a great fit for me.  Upon exiting Hotika we decide to take a side trip that would take us along the road toward Arthur’s Pass.  We exit early to return to HWY 6 where we move ever closer to the coastal HWY.  Our side trip skirts us around Graymouth, a coastal town with a lot of traffic.  With the Ocean on our left we are soon at our destination and of course myself and one other miss the turn to the motel and that took some work as the instructions were very direct.  Did we ask directions?  NO, real men just tough it out.  Fortunately Thomas waited at the HWY and directed us in.   The rooms were beautiful with a first class look at the Ocean.  Dinner is first class and then it is lights out. 

Stones at Punakaaiki

Dick and the R1150R

Southern Alps