Simon dreamt that we couldn't get tickets for the ferry back to the south island and had to wrap the campervan in bubblewrap and try to negotiate with Easyjet for them to fly it back to Auckland so we thought we'd better get it booked before we headed off! We've booked for Wednesday 18th by which time hopefully the sea will have calmed down from any impact of cyclone Pam. We also booked a one day kayaking trip for tomorrow. The weather looks like it might deteriorate on Monday so we thought this was the best option. If it stays dry we can drive/get a water taxi and walk along some of the coastal path. We decided to stay overnight in Motueka which is just down the coast from Abel Tasman and where we are due to meet for our trip. We set off heading north east from Westport along the Buller Gorge. The road takes you alongside the river through steep forested hills where you can go on jetboat trips, rafting or kayaking as seems customary along any river in New Zealand. We stopped off in Murchison for coffee before continuing on towards Nelson and then heading north to Motueka, stopping off for lunch by the side of the river along the way. The landscape before much more arid as we headed north. We stocked up with provisions in Motueka before checking in at the campsite. We both fancied a dip in the sea and it didn't look too far away so we set off walking. After about 30 minutes we gave up and went back for the van and then drove along the front to the beach. By the time we got there it didn't seem that appealing and we headed back to the campsite for a dip in the swimming pool. The campsite is very quite and it's got an end of season feel to it but we're sure that won't be the case when we're out tomorrow. The weather is still very mild and we enjoyed dinner alfresco before heading in for an early night.
 |
| The arid landscape as we headed north |
 |
| A pukeko nesting in the undergrowth |
 |
| Enjoying a beer after a dip in the pool |
No comments:
Post a Comment