Way out west

We have finally crossed the divide. A long stretch of frosty mountain peaks known as the Southern Alps mark the gateway for rainclouds wanting to pass. Before they may enter, their pockets are emptied and the rugged coastline soon becomes dripping with life. On our tour up towards Rock'n'Wood ranch (Wwoofing hosts), we stopped at a couple of secluded beaches for the night. Hearing that most of NZ's jade comes from a river nearby, we also headed upstream in hopes of striking green. So far we've been 100% with our camping. One spot was an island quarry surrounded by swampy rivers. Another was a twisting trail through a palm forest to a remote beach with dimpled rock formations. There's so much explorable terrain out here, inviting us into it's secluded ecosystems. The Rock'n'Wood ranch was a wonderful host, introducing us to various horse training techniques. And how to paint a shed.