Anyway. The weather was more than I had hoped for, clear blue sky, 20-25 degrees and hardly any wind. Everyone has told me the South island is way colder than the north this time of year, but so far it's the opposite.
Bus picked us up at 6:35 and 1,5 hours later we arrived at the Kayak tour office in Marahau. We went with aqua taxi from Marahau up to Bark Bay, actually, the first five minutes the aqua taxi was more like "weird dry land taxi", sitting in a boat behind a tractor on land. Almost like the carboat in 1770. The low tide means the boats had to be driven out with tractors.
From Bark bay we did a four hour walk to watering cove, where the kayak guide was waiting with coffee and cookies, and we hade our lunch on a beautiful beach. The hike wasn't very hard, except for some steep climbs, but the stunning views made sure I was breathless anyway.
The kayak trip was really nice, no waves, but a strong enough breeze to enable sailing with tha kayaks. I didn't know one could do that, but the pictures will show you!
After a good 7 hour-day in the park, I arrived back at the hostel just to find that the Irish Memory Card Transporter, who travelled on the same bus as me to taupo, had left a message for me, that he was due to Nelson today. However, since I didn't have his email or a phone no I didn't really know how to retrieve the precious card from him other than by staying in Nelson one extra night and go look for him at the hostels in case he wouldn't ring. He didn't know I was here still.
So this morning I got up, cancelled the bus, booked an extra night and went for a stroll in order to kill time before the Magic bus would arrive from Picton.
I just caught up with the bus as they dropped off backpackers outside, spotted the Irish and jumped on. 25 dollars later (He had called me from payphones and gone through all this trouble to pick it up for me so I felt I should give him something) I stepped out a very happy kat with my memory card back where it belongs, in my camera. Happy ending!
Feeling very cheerful I went for a long walk to Tahanui beach, near Nelson. The weather was as nice today, but the water is still too cold to dip your toes in (even if I'm a proud owner of Swedish toes) so I just sat down for a bit, taking in the dramatic view with the mountains in the distance and soaking up some non-ozonlayer filtered sunrays (yes, spf30 on always).
Tomorrow morning I'm off to Greymouth, just for one night since it's apparently not a place you'd stay longer. My next big stop will be Queenstown, and who knows what will happen there.
Drop by here later on if you're curious!
(pictures from yesterdays Abel Tasman-thingey will be uploaded when I'm able to use a usb-cable, since they for obvious reasons arent on my memory card...)
Centre of Nelson. Quite a cute little town.
Baywatch audition didn't go very well, the bombshell closest to the camera got the part.
Tahanui Beachview with mountains in the far distance.
A rock that Abel Tasman gave a name I don't quite remember.
(I think it's called "the Rock that was in the water"...)
A statue honouring the love of the sea as well as all sailors who have died on it.
I just honour Taxi Stockholm for giving me that gift card of 15000 SEK worth of travels. Got me to Nicaragua and halfway to Oz and NZ..Now that's worth a statue I reckon...
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