The West Coast

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This is going to be a long entry!

The ferry from Wellington to Picton left at nine o'clock and we had to be on board and checked in by eight, so the bus picked us up at seven. Our new driver is a gent called Spud. We had to check our baggage into the hold of the ship. This was the first time so far on the trip that i have had to check baggage!

On board there was more than enough to keep one enterained. A two screen movie theatre, bars, cafe's and of course the top deck. We chilled in the bar for a bit, listening to music and writing before heading to the top deck for the second half of the voyage. The sailing takes about three hours in total and the last hour and a half you sail though Queen Charlotte Sound. This is the most beautiful coast line i have seen yet. The Sounds around the south island are essentially fjiords with little bays and inlets and islands. Immediately rising from the sea are vast mountains and valleys. In some of the bays are secluded houses, accessible only by water! It was incerdible.

Our first time at the baggage reclaim carousel turned out to be very amusing. We were with two lads from Sheffield called Matt and Adam and we were wishing that one of the bags would hit a little kid that was standing to close to the carousel or knock some water off. Then we started guessing which bag belonged to whom. Very amusing.

Our first stop, once on the road again was a Marlborough Vineyard. Here, for a mere two bucks, we had a wine tasting session. And for just another two bucks we coud have a shot tasting session, leaving half the bus half cut for the remainder of the journey. We arrived at sleepy Nelson mid afternoon and checked into yet another sceptic YHA. Our roommates, two Canadians, were doing nearly the same route as us. We had a good chat, then headed off for an explore. Within twenty mins we were back...having walked the entirety of Nelson.

After another fishcake dinner we met back up with Matt and Adam with our roommates and a guy on our bus called Ryan. We headed up the mountain in Nelson to watch the sun set from the centre of New Zealand. Not actually the centre of New Zealand, but called it...understand that one? The sunset thought, was stunning! On the way back down we stopped at the site of New Zealands first rugby match.

We would have hit a bar or something but there were none open, so we went throught he maccdee's drivethru, pretending to be a car before heading to bed.

The next morning we were due for Westport. We followed the Buller Gorge and Buller River, the second largest river in the southern hempishpere (?) all day and stopped at Buller Adventures, where we were going horseriding. This ride was a little better than River Valley, we cantered alot more and even his a gallop at the end. We rode along the river in the water. On the final charge across the paddock howevr, my horse, being the lead horse, was behind another stallion, jostling for position in the hierarchy. The other stallion stopped suddenly, forcing mine to "emergency brake" and through me off his back. I was unhurt, commando rolling as i hit the ground to prevent serious damage.

Tonight, everyone was staying at the YHA, we checked in later than the rest of the bus, having been riding while others hadn't. We arrived at six and were told we had an hour before we departed for the beach. We rushed another fishcake dinner and jumped on the bus.

On the beach, we got a fire going, toasting marshmallows and drinking cold (ish) beer. After about an hour, the bus left and with it everyone, but how many times do you sit on a beach in New Zealand, with a fire, at night, drinking a few cold ones in good company? Rarely! Rob and I and two other girls stayed. Georgia and Georgina from Dawlish. We jsut chlilled out with them for a time before wandering back to the hostel, getting lost and having to ask directions on the way at a hospital.

We didn't have too much of an early start the following morning, so we had eggy bread with Ryan. It was a match made in heaven, we had bread, he had eggs. Bang!

Destination today was Lake Mahinapua. But our first stop for a picnic lunch and some good photographs was Nelson Lakes. This is the lake where many people ahve photos of them jumping off the jetty. Why break tradition? Actually we jumped a few times. Nelson Lakes is high in the mountains and rather chilly, and while i'm not going to lie and say the water was tepid or mild, it was bloody freezing but not too bad. A few jumps and few swims and then lunch and the assualt of the ducks. We caught one of the buggers because they are so arrogant they will come right up to you to steal your bread.

At Lake Mahinapua, we stay with the odlest publican in NZ, called Uncle Les. We have a themed party and he lays on a steak dinner for ten bucks with venison stew, spuds, bread and veg. We stoppde in Greymouth, to pick up costumes and a few guys that had caught the train across the southern alpes. Our theme was bad taste superheroes. I went as a transvestite buzz light year, while rob opted for a risque approach.

Once we had our costumes sorted we arrived at the Mahinapua Hotel and had to self allocate our four share rooms. We shared with the Dawlish girls. The Mahinapua Hotel, hereonin referred to as Poo Pub is 10km either way from the nearest building, and five mins from a deserted beach in on direction and the lake itself in the other.

Ryan and I went on a run along the beach and back and then cooled off in the sea while some other played footie. Determined to jump in the lake we headed to it, but were put off slightly by the dead fish carcass...😞

Dinner was preemo! I was stuffed! Then everyone got into their costumes and we drank the night away on cheap pitchers and wine. At midnight some of us headed out back to the Lake...(no keith, not skinny dipping) to see the glowworms. Nature is incredible, isn't it!

There were a few sore heads the following morning as we headed to Franz Josef.

Peace out.

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