Able Man from Tas?

(Written 14/12, 07.48)

After our frustrating journey of delayed ferries and non-starting coaches, we arrived at Nelson - one of New Zealand's "most livable towns". It did actually appear to be a very nice town with a cobbled main street called Trafalgar Street and a backdrop of green hills. I did a mini hill-run in order to get to the Centre of New Zealand point before dark and, as it turned out, I reached the top in time to see a cracking sunset over the Tasman Sea. On return to the hostel, I found Bhavesh setting up for a game of Ring of Fire with some other backpackers, and I knew that standardly I would claim the "dirty pint" that evening!

We awoke the following morning to grey clouds and heavy showers - not ideal for the boat rides and hike that were on the cards at the Abel Tasman National Park that day. The rain beat down on the coach as the two of us passed out for the ride, and we awoke to the sun blazing down with us unsure as to whether the prior weather had just been a dream! The tiredness from the late night faded, and it was an absolute beauty of a day at Abel Tasman. This was another day that I will struggle to describe in words but, unlike the Tongariro Crossing, this hike was reasonably civilised and so pictures were taken! For us, Abel Tasman National Park equated to impressive rock formations (particularly the 136 million year old Pacman rock!), many untouched bays of white sand, more unbelievably blue seas reflecting the glorious sun, steep hills of rainforest with the odd clearing allowing vantage point views of the bays, and a couple of bouncy and wet speed boat rides to get into and out of the national park! Beauty. National parks don't seem to disappoint!

The evening was another story, but also provoked excitement. A close-to-one-kilogram burrito caused much salivation, and we sat on a bench in central Nelson to enjoy this to the maximum. After a few rounds of Golf (cards) with a couple of Germans, and a much needed sleep, we are now on a ten-hour coach ride to Franz Josef Glacier! Nature-wise, New Zealand has literally got it all! 

Song of the New Zealand trip (so far): "In the desert, there's a horse wih no name..."