Aspiring our way out west...The 6, rainforest and glaciers....

From Chinaman's Bluff at the end off the Rees-Dart (or the start of the Dart-Rees) on the Dart glacier:
The glacier sinks back out of sight
around the corner, yields grudgingly beneath its rough and ugly coat
Battered Dinosaur, relict old misfit.
Sad but true to see the utter destruction that is the recession of the Dart Glacier. Papatuanuku, the Maori Earth Mother would be ashamed of us humans...

This is paraphrased from my Jan. 29th journal entry:

Currently driving Highway 6 up the West Coast. Just passed through all of Mt. Aspiring Nat'l Park. We did a short walk to the Blue Pools (30 min.) right off of the road. I was completely blown away by Highway 6-certainly a rival of California's Highway 1.
***
After leaving Wanaka behind, Lake Hawea is the backdrop to the east as Lake Wanaka emerges west-the 6 skirts and meanders between the two. Both are impressive and massive lakes surrounded by snow capped mountains.
As we left Wanaka behind, populated areas dissapeared almost completely. Deeper into Aspiring, the environment got increasingly tropical looking with greenery, ferns, vines, and other rainforest-type foliage as far as the eye could see. The Blue Pools (at the foot of the Wilkins valley) resembeled pictures of Thailand I have seen...
Continuing up and down past waterfalls and a "Hawaii but with snowy mountains" type environ (as David determined) we eventually punched through to Haast and the West Coast. A dinky little town, Haast was ultimately worthy of stopping only for a quick meat pie. The 6 then continued along the coast for an hour's worth of kilometers and we passed by coastal estuaries, bayou type wilderness lodges (whiched looked suprisingly cozey and inviting for being in the literal middle of nowhere), and streams. Finally, we made it to a high vantage point called King's Point where the views of the Tasman Sea were stunning.
Seeing and smelling the ocean for the first time in a long time (since Dunedin on the East Coast) after reaching it after Haast made me reminisce and appreciate California-especially because our first stopping point at Shipwreck Cove had a peaky wave dotted with surfers..
Just like the 1, the 6 heads north along the West Coast-but there is one main difference: California has no coastal mountains-or any mountains for that matter (and believe me...I know from experience!) that rival Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman which we finally got our first glimpses of in the quaint township of Fox Glacier. After a Speights (the "Pride of the Southland" brown ale) and a quick game of pool, it was time to find some (free) camping.
Heading back out to the beach from Fox, we followed a dirt road to Gillespie's beach, a Department of Conservation maintained but free campsite. We cooked korma curry, lentils, some veggies and rice on the beach when finally, the remaining clouds cleared (we have been unbelievably lucky with the weather) and we got our first true views of both mountains and reveled in their glory. To sit on the beach, hear and smell the ocean and look at the mountains with features typical of the Himilaya was unlike any other place I have been-except maybe Alaska, but New Zealand's version is just-if not more-awe inspiring.
As the sun went down in the southwest, the full moon appeared in the north, and with Mt. Cook (Aoraki ) and Mt. Tasman-the two tallest mountains in NZ mind you-coated in a false but warm and comforting hue of alpenglow, I was experiencing sensory overload.
Camping right on the beach, we lita a small fire, and crawled in our tent in the interest of a big full day, (which turned out to be a slow and extremely rainy day...but we still should be able to make it on trail by the 31st.)
One of the most impressive days of my life and I was able and lucky enough to capture most of it on film (will update pictures back in Dunedin). Just about to lay my head down with the sound of waves crashing where the Tasman meets New Zealand in the background. Some instant coffee and free range NZ eggs for the AM in the vestibule ald life is good. I love this country.

Cheers, thanks for reading and it feels great to catch you guys up! We will post when we get a chance after our next tramp!
-Andy