Saturday, August 30, 2003

Brewery Tour and Westport Ho! (Oops, that's Westward Ho)

Up early, about 7:30, shwered, breakfast, sat around and watched TV at the hostel until about 9:00AM, then drove to Monteith's Brewery to get the phone number to book the tour. I gave them a call and left a message that I wanted to do the brewery tour at 11:30. Then went to the internet at a photo place about 9:30, the store was supposed to open then, but it wasn't open, so walked over to DP-1 Cafe, which also has internet, and used internet there, but they only have a dial-up connection, so it was slow, so only used it for half an hour, then at 10:00, walked back the photo place and they were open now, and used the internet there until about 11:15. They had an ADSL connection there, much faster.

Drove to Monteith's, and there were a group of 11 of us doing the brewery tour, the guide let us in, took our money ($10), then took us all around the brewery. Most of the brewery is automated, they only have 10 employees! Of those 10, none were working today, they only had two vats (out of 6) fermenting beer. Each vat holds either 21,000 or 23,000 litres of beer, depending on which vat it is. That's a lot of beer. The tour of the floor lasted about an hour, then we were taken to the employee bar, and were given a sample of each of their five year-round beers, and their two special brews, one being their sprinttime brew they are releasing on Sept. 1, the other being their winter brew that will be taken off the shelves soon (as winter is over!). Our guide then left us, and told us we had an open bar, so we could "sample" more of our their product. Unfortunately, I had to drive, so I couldn't partake in the open bar, but the group of 5 Brit's were enjoying it immensely!

Left Greymouth about 1:00, drove to Punakaiki, famous for it's interesting rock formations, called Pancake Rocks and a blowhole there. I missed the 12:20 high tide by about 2 hours, so didn't see the blowhole performing. Also walked to Punakaiki Cavern to try and see glowworms, but I didn't have a torch, so couldn't get very far inside the cave.

Drove a few km further, and stopped at Truman's Track, a short 15 min. jaunt to a great beach in a bay, with a waterfall crashing over the cliff onto the beach. Very nice!

Continued on to Irimahuwhero Lookout, and took some pics.

The road north from Greymouth to Westport is a great cliff-hugging, seaside road, not unlike the great Cape Breton road.

Got to Westport sometime, not sure, and checked into a hostel, can't remember the name. I'm the only transient there, the two or three others at the hostel are longer term stayers. I had the very nice dorm room to myself.

Tried calling a couple of white-water rafting outfits, but neither of them are rafting tomorrow, not enough people. Not that surprising, it is winter, and Westport is definately not a tourist town. I'll have to do it somewhere else.

Went to New World supermarket and got some hamburger and made beef enchilada's for supper, and had half of a chocolate cake for dessert. I eat more now than I did back in Moose Jaw.

Watched "Liar, Liar" on TV, then to bed.

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