Abel Tasman Marahau Lodge Nelson

We left Abel Tasman and took the short drive to Nelson to pick up a Frisbee (Nic's flatmate from Uni) who is now living in NZ and was spending a weeks holiday with us. We drove to the airport where he was flying in from Tauranga via Wellington. His plane arrived on time and after finding our way out of the maze that was Nelson airport we were on our way. First stop was a vineyard, well we only had a week in Marlborough might as well make the most of it ...

... secret weapon!) onto their team, every team needs to bring along its own gnome. On Sunday there is a gnome run followed by many events such as throwing gnomes, bunging jumping etc etc. <br>Spring seems to have really arrived here, the Camellias and Daffodils are looking fabulous and the grass is growing. Last week we drove past a herd of cows in a field and I saw a calf being born. Its the beginning of the whitebait ...

... on the early stint and was relieved that most of my cakes went ( its terrible when no one likes the look of your baking!) and we had made well over $200 by the time I left at 1 pm....thats over Eighty Pounds in English money, which should fund the mini bus for a couple of away trips. So, it desnt matter which country you live in, things are generally similar - if you are a soccer Mum you still have to be able to bake the odd cake!

... so i phoned and cancelled my acc and bus!!! hahaha oopss the lady on reception was really cross the next morning when she had to give me a refund but i didnt care!!! so off kirsty and i went (she is such a nice girl, still in contact now....from dundee in scotland!!) through some amamzing ranges and some great views of nelson and the bay there to vineyards and finally after the windey roads we saw golden bay! staying in kiwiana hostel in takaka...hostel was very ...

... few doing the kayaking, but otherwise it was birds and seals all the way around. We passed by split apple rock and a huge cove that goes back some 1.5 miles, which all becomes sand when the tide is out. Back on dry land, we got a lift back to the farm, and went to cook another BBQ with the remains of the food from yesterday - loads of lamb burgers, but they had all been nicked. Everything else was still there, but no burgers. We gave up and went to the cafe for a ...

... ferry terminal, via Nelson, to Marahau on the edge of Abel Tasman National Park. This National Park was the 2nd one in the World. Only Yellowstone in the USA was before it. We finally arrived at our digs about 6pm. The place was called Old Macdonald's Farm, and was a farm. There were loads of animals and most of them were goats - no kidding. (Did you get ...

... bezocht. Er was een tentoonstelling over de Traffelger War, de oorlog halverwege de 19e eeuw hier, die geleidt werd door Lord Nelson (waar dit dorpstadje inderdaad naar vernoemd is) en die een heroische dood stierf. Gek genoeg lag er in het midden van deze tentoonstelling een masker van Napoleon. Nu is Napoleon bij mijn weten nog nooit in NZ geweest, dus wat doet dat kopie van een kopie van zijn dodesmasker hier?? Nou, Lord Nelson en Napoleon waren tijdsgenoten en aangezien Nelson ...