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Published: March 3rd 2009
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Abel Tasman National Park, the highlight of my trip. I just LOVED this area!!! But first I'll tell how I got there!
After leaving Wellington, I hopped the ferry to the south island. As I was getting on the ferry, I was stopped by a family and asked if I'd hang out with their two kids for the crossing. They were heading across to meet up with their uncle on the south island and it was the first time they'd been on a ferry and gone traveling without the parents. It was great hanging out with Rebecca and Jacob for the next three hours as we made our way from the north island to the south island. Once we arrived in Picton, we found their uncle and aunt who offered me a ride to Nelson, my first destination. Later on, I would meet up with these guys again in Motueka and in typical kiwi hospitallity they invited me to their house for a true style kiwi bbq. I always feel so lucky when opportunities like this occur. It's always so nice to be back in a family atmostphere and to sit around the table talking after dinner. It's the perfect little
Abel Tasman!
One of the beaches we reached by kayak! break from the backpacking lifestyle, just short enough to remember what it's like back out in the real world before returning to your hostel and fellow backpackers!
After being dropped in Nelson, I explored town a bit before leaving the next day to Marahau, the entrance to Abel Tasman National Park. Throughout my travels on the north island, I always heard wonderful things about this area and had seen plenty of postcards. Even though I had an idea of how gold the beaches would be, I was still completely blown away the first time I stepped foot on the sand. Long curving beaches with the most golden sand I've ever seen, backed by tall lush green forests on hills rising from the clear blue waters of the sea. Just amazing!!! I spent three days in this area but probably could have stayed weeks!! The big draw of Abel Tasman is the hiking track that goes from one of the park to the other. Along the way there are a few huts to sleep in and plenty of camping sites. Originally I had wanted to do this, but all the huts were full and I didn't have my own tent. So
I got creative and explored the park in a few different ways! First I went on a guided kayak tour along the coast and out to a few islands. We stopped for lunch at this amazing beach where our guide taught us how to weave flowers out of flax plants. I really took to this and ended up making these flowers all throughout nz. We spent a total of six hours making our way up to Anchorage Bay where I walked 3 hours on the track back to my hostel. The next day I took a water taxi up the coast to Tonga Bay and walked 3 hours to Anchorage Bay where I took the water taxi back into town. This was a perfect combination of activites because the kayaking gave me a close up view of all the beaches while the walking provided views looking down to the beaches. I also covered about 2/3 of the track from my two days of walking. It was a wonderful few days and I was sad to leave, but there was so much more still to see.
From Marahau I went to Golden Bay for three days. It just so happened that
Flax Flowers
my very first one one of the girls I hung out with in Wellington also was staying at my hostel. We spent the next few days using the free kayaks and bicycles. One day we made an epic cycle to Farewell Spit, the northern most part of the south island. We spent all day cycling the 24km up the spit against the headwind, walking out onto the sand dunes for a few hours, hitch hiking to a beach on the west coast, then cycling back against the wind again. whew...pretty exhausting day, but well worth it! I was a bit disappointed with Golden Bay, it had such a pretty name and sounded so nice, but after Abel Tasman, it just didn't compare.
Leaving the golden sands behind, I went back to Motueka where I had my bbq with the kiwi family and also met some really cool people from my hostel. I ended up giving a dutch guy a much needed haircut, played frisbee in the dark with beers in hand, and during a search for a saltwater pool found a rusting ship on the tidal flats. Motueka was also a pretty cool hippie little community. Every sunday there was a giant market with
lots of different food, handmade clothing, heaps of trinkets, and second hand books. The whole northern area of the south island all had this feel. Really laid back little towns with weekly markets and alternative lifestyles, not to mention beautiful beaches! Seemed like paradise to me!!!
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