11/30/00  First stop is Cape Foulwind, a windswept headland named by Captain Cook and home to a fur seal colony.  A pole is topped with numerous signs pointing out the distances.   New York is a mere 12,749 km!  A quick stop in town for supplies (including my ground beef and sour cream!) and gas...and a surprise.   Marcus is leaving us.  The poor guy arrived in New Zealand after not sleeping for 48 hours and has decided that he can't handle the hiking, so he's going to rent a car and proceed on his own.  We say goodbye and head to Paparoa National Park.  Reading the description of the hike, I couldn't wait to do it, as it reminded me of the Zion Narrows, one of my favorite hikes.   I thought we were doing the Inland Pack Track, a loop, but we're only doing an in and out with a detour.  Not a good sign...

The trail starts off pretty easy and level.   We cross the Fox River, doing it the Nature Safari way - linking arms in groups of three.   Having become used to river crossings with the Zion Narrows, I prefer doing it solo with a hiking pole.  Convince Neale to let me do it my way the second crossing, and get some photos of people.  Everyone makes it across without falling.  As we continue up, the limestone cliffs begin to climb above us.  It's still pretty open, and lacking the color of the Narrows.   However, the lush forests on either side of the river add interest, and we soon make our way to camp.  The campsite is amazing.  It's called the Ballroom, and is an overhang perhaps 30 yards wide by 150 yards long.  No problem avoiding the rain!  We spread a big tarp out, build a fire, and Alex cooks risotto with mushrooms. What a rough life!

12/01/00  That morning, about half the group wants to relax and enjoy their sleeping bags.  Alex and I serve tea to those still in their sleeping bags while Neale gets breakfast going.  Soon we're all up and packed.   We start to retrace our steps, but then Neale hangs a right up a small stream and we drop our packs.  We head up this stream into an amazing world that made me very thankful I had signed up with NZ Nature Safari!  The stream is Welsh Creek and is utterly amazing.   Waterfalls, ferns, mosses, trees - it's all there and more.  Never have I seen such greenery before!  Alex and I fall behind the others as we both go ga-ga over the sights.   Finally we reach the end - a cave.  But wait!  There's more.  Andrew and I swim upstream (very cold water) until a waterfall blocks our progress further.  Turning around and looking up, we see glowworms (think fireflies).  Matt joins us, paddling a small kayak that they found in the bushes.  We swim back, and I do jumping jacks to warm up.  We head back, taking more pictures, pick up the main trail and then make another detour, this time to the Fox River Caves.  There are two sets of caves, the upper containing a series of easy passages and lower, a huge cavern with a floor littered with rock that has fallen from the ceiling.  The cave continues on for another mile for those with the right equipment, but we turn around and head back to the van and Punakaiki.  Camp is at a private campground in Punakaiki with a drying room, big kitchen, and lots of hot water for the showers.  I quickly shower and wash some clothes, because it's my night to cook.  Dinner is soft tortillas with ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, hot peppers, cheese, and onions.  Oh yes - some spinach too that was starting to go bad.   After dinner, Neale takes us on a "short beach walk."  Sounds like fun!  Half the group goes barefoot.  As it turns out, it's about a mile and a half each way with slick rocks, some scrambling, and a lot of sharp beach rocks.    It doesn't take Matt long to give Neale his nickname:  Crazy Neale!