Golden Bay

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On Sunday I tried Kite surfing- it was fun but the wind stopped so I never finished my lesson. I definatly want to try it again in Australia.

Monday I set off all alone for Able Tasman. After 20 minuites I picked up a Hitchhiker, Matt, who had been in Antarctica at a reserch station. He was going up to Takaka in Golden bay to stay with a friend and said there may be space for me. So I ended up driving him to his friends and staying there the night. Funny how things work out. We arrived about mid-day and spent a bit of time on the beach and then went to look at the biggest fresh water springs- Te Waikoropupu but it wasn't that impressive- it just looked like a lake! Then we went to “The Labrynth' which was some natural mazes and rock formations in some guys back garden, he had named the rocks and added little plastic figures hiding around the place.. Again not hugely impressive but we (Matt, Vick, Mike and Nathan) made it more fun by having to climb through and not touch the ground. Then we all went to Wainui falls which was beautiful, the boys swam but it was far to cold for me- they had all just come from the Antarctic.
That evening I played frisbee and had a lovely noodle dinner- there was about 15 of us alstaying in this guys house- some in tents- I took the floor.

Tuesday-Started the day with a paddle. Matt, Joe, Nathan and I Kayakes to Tata islands and round to Wainui bay. Unfortunatly no seals but lots of Shaggs. Then the 4 of us climbed a very steep path to see Rawhiti cave which is very impressively covered in stalagtites.
I left Matt at 5 to go back to Motueka next to Able Tasman national park which is where I would have stopped if I hadn't picked Matt up (but I'm glad I did).
I stopped of at Harwoods lookout and then drove 20 minuites down a dirt track to Harwoods Hole which is very very deep and wide. It took 7 seconds for a pebble to reach the bottom when I threw it in. I only started the walk at 6.30 so was a bit worried about it gettting dark but it ended up being an hours beautiful woodland walk at dusk.

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Photos

Kite surfing
don't I look good in a wet suit!!!

Te Waikoropupu
They don't like to make the names of places easy to say over here!!

Labrynth
"the octopus"

Kayaking
It was a bit of a squeeze through this but fun!

Rawhiti cave
The boys standing under some really scary spikey stalagtites.

Glowing Fern
This is what happens when you use the flash to take a picture of a fern- cool huh!

Harwoods Hole
Its hard to capture how big this hole was in a picture.