Abel Tasmin and wine tasting

---

The Glacier walk at Franz Joseph was great fun. We decided to do the full day hike equipped with ice axes and crampons. We squeezed through a few tight crevasses and negotiated some quite rugged terain, but most of the fun was had launching our new toys into the unsuspecting ice. Once the day was finished we jumped back into our car and started a 6 hour night drive to motueka; booking accomodation and activities for the next day on route. We had a good night sleep (be it a short one) in the hostel and woke up early to await our pick- up to Abel Tasman national park. Here we spent the day on a guided kayak, out to find seals, and an afternoon walk over to a secluded bay where our 'water taxi' awaited us.

On friday we drove to a town called Blenheim which is a famous wine region in New Zealand; it is also highly regarded worldwide. We hired some bikes and quickly hit the road and went wine tasting. We managed to get to 6 different wineries in 3 hours which wasn't bad and we now feel fairly knowlegable in our pinot noirs and sauvigon blancs! Put it this way, it is a different taste from those 5 litre goon bags we chugged down in Australia. A little tipsy on our return with the bikes, we sobered up before spending a night in Picton, the gateway to the North Island.

Today we arrived in Wellington after a 3 hour scenic sail through the Marlbrough sounds. We have checked into a hostel and hope to head out tonight to a few bars after visiting some relatives in the suburbs. . .

---

Photos

Kayaking
Kayaking at Abel Tasmin.

Experienced biker
Hazh can't wait to get to the next vineyard..

Ferry
Arriving at Wellington port.

Hazh and Mark on the Glacier
Yes, that little baldy is Hazh. Sorry Mum.

Equipped
Boys with toys.

Comments

[Jenny Morcom]

you'd better keep your hat on!
Hi Hazh I hoped I was imagining it! - Did you get lice or something? - Or did your 'friends' shave your head while you were drunk? - Have you still got eye brows? Perhaps the strange pin-head charm will grow on me in time - but you'd better grow it before Gran sees it! New Zealand looks seriously lovely - Good Luck with the north Island. Love Mum (Hazh's)

[Grace and Gran]

Nits
Gran said I hope your 'little friend' doesn't mind you being a slap head. Ahem it looks good, cough cough, sniggers and chuckles inwardly. Don't do it again or We'll skin you. Have fun take care and see you in November, X Gran and Grace x