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Published: March 21st 2006
Subliminal Messaging?
And this is rough? Did they not see what it was like when we were jet-skiing?! Yooo hooo! Us again! I dunno, you wait for a blog for days and then three come along at once! Seems we've had a change of plan this morning and now have some time to kill.
Up at 6am to drive to Picton (again) - not for more horrors on a bike - but to catch the ferry to Wellington, thus ending our South Island experience. Not so fast ...
Storms overnight have meant ferries have been cancelled and our 10am sailing is more likely to be 4pm ("hypothetically" said the booking agent). There are 10m swells in the Cook Strait and winds of 40-50 knots making for some very rough water. "Crisis point" in the words of the tired-and-bored-of-repeating-myself PA. Not crisis point but time for cake we say!
As you can tell from the photos - taken at the time of our cancelled ferry - it does look pretty treacherous out there. Very similar to a dull and dank early start in Dover say (with passports, say). Not.
Tis a mixed blessing. Kate is rather relieved that they're not pressing on regardless, although all her sea-sickness pill-popping this morning is a birrova waste. So anyway,
Spot the 10m swell yit? Us neither ...
Curiously the bike accidentally fell off the jetty shortly after this shot was taken. this is why we're back here boring ye again. Need some extra diversions to the eat-more-cake and sleep-in-the-sun suggestions we've come up with to date. No prizes for guessing who's is who's.
Yesterday we ventured along the Abel Tasman Coast. Caught a water taxi from Kaiteriteri to Bark Bay. From there we followed the Coastal Track along to Torrent Bay and Anchorage, some 9km to the south. Lovely. The path weaved in and out of the bush, rising gently to some gorgeous views of tiny beaches and inlets. Along the way we crossed a 47m long suspension bridge over Falls River. Lots of fun bouncing along that! The weather was perfect - warm and sunny - just how February weather should be. All a far cry from our last track debacle.
After some lazing on the beach, the taxi arrived to drop us back at Kaiteriteri and from there we headed to Mapau. We had been given a tip-off about a remote tapas bar serving delicious antipasti - who were we to snub such a suggestion? It was so good infact that we got a carry out for dinner back at the Loft.
One final recommendation meant
Torrent Bay, Abel Tasman National Park
Complete contrast to the 10m swell in photos above a detour to the (one and only) Tasman Store for a few bottles of the local wine - Blackenbrooks Sauvignon Blanc. Five star stuff. Grab a few bottles yourselves next time you're passing ...
And that's about it folks. We'll try and find some more interesting stories for next time. Hopefully we won't be writing again in a few hours to moan about our impending overnight sleep in the car. As quaint as Picton is, I reckon 8 hours should cover it.
Love
K&N xx
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Dave & Veronica
non-member comment
Great!
Thanks for all the interesting blogs. Great pictures and really nice to bve included on your travels. Has been hectic here and will read them in more detail again. Not sure when you are coming back and whether its via Singapore. Dave is off to Jakarta via Singapore Tuesday 7th. Then to KL for two days on 12th - returning UK 15 March. May cross flight paths?!