The 18th Stop: Hokitika, New Zealand. Read that if travelling from Canterbury to the West Coast, Arthur's Pass is the road to take. Sure, a road with viaducts, bridges, rock shelters and waterfalls. And the Arthur’s Pass village, where you can't miss spotting the keas, New Zealand’s funny alpine parrots. On the West Coast we stayed in a small laid-back town Hokitika. Needed to take it easy, as the Boy E got a little fever. Celebrated the Finnish Independence Day by exploring Hokitika Gorge; a magnificent granite gorge with milky blue-green pools, backed by cliffs and rimu forest.