The West Coast is my piper. I constantly long to march up streams to the tune of rushing water, rumbling gravel, cooing wood pigeons and laughing kea. I first fell in love with its primordial podocarp forests when I spent a semester abroad in 1999, and I remain passionate about the place to this day. In less than 30 km, the Tasman Sea gives way to rushing rivers, glaciers, the Alpine Fault, and 3000 m mountain peaks. Not only that, but in summer, the evergreen forest comes alive with bright red rata flowers.
For 6 days, I traipsed up rivers looking for the Alpine Fault, collected rocks, and carried them home to analyze in the lab. Along the way, I met interesting fellow geologists, marveled at sunsets in Okarito, and drove a spiffy 4x4 up braided river beds. Thankfully, said 4x4 waited until the end of my trip to have a transmission meltdown, and I made it home safely to spend James' birthday with our extended family in Moeraki.
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