Nelson

Trip Start Jun 13, 2006
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Trip End Jun 12, 2007


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Flag of New Zealand  ,
Monday, April 2, 2007

Alex & Dean: Nelson is a small city on the North coast of the South Island, and a mecca for out-doors types. We've been doing quite a bit of traveling recently (no pun intended) so decided to have a bit of time to chill out and our first day there only stirred ourselves enough to take a walk to the "center of New Zealand". The walk was very nice and gave us great views over the bay and took us to what is claimed to be the geographical center of New Zealand, which was marked by a statue - we will take their word for it.

The highlight of our time in Nelson was our trip to the Abel Tasman National Park, which we decided to see by kayak. We were lucky enough to be upgraded so we were taken out to Tonga Bay by sea taxi then paddled around Tonga Island, checking out the local seals, and then traveled down to Bark Bay for lunch on the beach. Tonga Island is a seal reserve so you can't go on it or too close to it but that didn't stop us seeing loads of seals, they are really curious and kept popping over to check us out and sometimes swam alongside our kayaks for a while Nelson 01
Nelson 01
 . We also saw loads just doing their seal thing and playing in the water.

After lunch the heavens opened but this is a water sport, if you don't get wet you are doing it wrong, so it didn't stop us continuing down to Anchorage bay where the sea taxi picked us up again to take us back. The sun finally showed its face when we got to Anchorage bay allowing us to see the park in its full glory and dry off a bit before heading home. A tiring but great day.

After that we had another lazy day, lots of plans but few of them materialised, none in fact except the one where we visited the local organic brewery - yum.  In the evening we had our dose of English humour - we went to the local flicks and watched "Hot Fuzz" - very funny but we are not sure it was a good film!
The hostel we stayed in was really good (Tasman Bay Backpackers).  No telly so we got through a few books.  It also had a great kitchen so Alex has been able to produce some amazing food for our tea, while trying to teach Dean how to cook - so far Dean has only shown excellence in being able to put out a frying pan oil fire (which he started), but he did it rather professionally!  A bit too professionally really (the pyromaniac!).
Dean:  Fire good!!!!
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