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tarmac.
Continuing south past Greymouth, the road wound its way toward Hokitika, a town that hums with artistic energy. Known for its greenstone( pounamu), it was good place to stop and stretch. Visit a local jade carver, stroll the beach beside the driftwood sign, and load up on supplies, from here, the road began to feel more remote.
From Hokitika, SH6 thread through Ross, Harihari, and Whataroa, names that felt like incantations of another era. We’ d crossed one-lane bridges over thunderous rivers that descended straight from the Alps. The scenery was relentless: mirror-like lakes, ancient kahikatea trees, and the everpresent, almost sentient rain, that, for the most part, threatened yet never eventuated. Then came the glaciers. Few places in the world allow such close encounters with glaciers from the comfort of a motorcycle seat. Franz Josef and Fox are small towns with big attractions: two of the most accessible glaciers on Earth. At Franz Josef, a short hike brings you to a viewpoint where the ice hangs like a frozen waterfall from
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