A Relaxing Day in Motueka

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I went for a run this morning to check out the beach side of the town which we didn't see yesterday. The town is quite well kept up with some really nice houses. I get hungry as I run past trees loaded with grapefruits and lemons on people's manicured lawns. It is also strange watching kids head off to school after their long weekend as our year of travels continues. We realized a few days ago that we have now reached the two month point since we left Union station in Toronto. In someways it doesn't seem that long ago and yet in other ways in seems decade away.

We take a look at the town map and notice that there is something called “The saltwater baths” near the beach at the far end of town. The desk at the resort don't seem to know anything about these baths, so we head out to check them out. The pools turn out to be merely concrete pools along the ocean, filled with what seem to be stagnant water and at the same temperature as the ocean so we abandon our idea for a swim !

We spend sometime exploring the town and go to the local museum. Like many small town museums it is an odd mix but there are some good displays showing what boat travel to New Zealand would have been like in the late 1800s and what life here was like at that time.

After we leave the museum, Evy noticed that there was a motor vehicle registration office so I go in to check out something I have wondered about an expired paper slip I removed from our van window after we bought it. It turns out that the paper was our registration and that ours has lapsed. I returned to the office later to pay up and avoid the 200 dollar fine.

After a few calls and negotiations (trying to get my travel agent discount) we decide on a catamaran sailing and hiking trip in the Abel Tasman Park tomorrow.

After dinner Benjamin and Joshua go off to play chess on the giant chess board but instead end up playing “Bullrush” with some local kids on the giant jumping pillow. They are really happy when they return and I realize how hard it must be for them having just each other for company all the time. They need more time to play with other kids but the chances seem to be far between with all the local kids back in school after the spring break. We have to mark the calendar as it is the first time that Benjamin said he had fun without any qualifiers!

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