Last weekend in Westport

Carolyn with a Coal Seam, not a Police song

Our time is winding down here and we are finishing our last weekend  in Westport. Five more days of work followed by a  little celebration then off next Saturday on the daily flight to Wellington. Anyways, in trying to squeeze in all our favorite local distractions, we started with a beautiful hike on the Denniston Plateau to get one final taste of the Coal legacy on the West Coast.
Next  we tackled the Ghost Road track along the mighty Mohikinui river north of us.

Walking in the New  Zealand bus on the West coast is really an experience you can not find elsewhere. Though we were only a 40 minute drive from Westport, we were rapidly in a quite isolated area, with nice formed tracks, and no other people, not one, to be seen on our little three hour hike.

Tahr

But then we were off for a Saturday night Wild Foods Feast At the Town House Restaurant  In Westport featuring Whitebait, Hare, Venison and Tahr. Our fellow doctor here, Nina, can catch or shoot all these delicacies for you but we attended a special dinner that lasted a bit over four hours and  it was wonderful as you can see

Whitebait appetizer with custard

Hare and leek pie

Venison Steaks with Boysenberry sauce

Tahr leg Roast with glazed Kumara

  motivated me to lose some weight once I get  back to Boulder.

We sat next to a couple who immigrated to NZ from South Africa and they thought the Tahr reminded them a bit of Warthog, I'll have to take their word for that.

Then off again for our favorite local walks around Cape Foulwind and this time we met an unexpected companion

Whom we mutually startled.The sea was quite lovely as a rough sea can be

And to finish off the Weekend, I squeezed in one last round of golf to celebrate Bob Charles, the last New Zealander to win the Open exactly 50 years ago, and with the help of his 7 iron shot a perfect Bogey round. 

So one more week of work , party,  visit the Baxter's on our way to the Cook Islands and then Home.