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Golden Bay... sun, hippies and springs

Super-early start to Takaka in Golden Bay today. I didn't really have much of an idea why I was going to Golden Bay, only that I'd been told there were nice beaches, hippie/alternative culture, and a laid-back vibe. That seemed worth the 6.40am local bus! The bus journey from Nelson to Takaka...

permalink written by  LizIsHere on February 20, 2010 from Takaka, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

waking up to the sea lapping just below the window.. ahhh

Once the guys had gone to catch their water taxi, I found Lisa on the beach, and we waved madly at the Aquapackers, a converted catamaran moored a little way out in the bay, to summon the skipper over to pick us and our small backpacks up in a little dingy. The Aquapackers is small, with only...

permalink written by  LizIsHere on February 19, 2010 from Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

Abel Tasman ... expect the overuse of 'stunning', 'beautiful' and 'paradise'!

Anthony, who is the most laid-back guy I have ever met - especially one running a busy hostel! - drops me and Lisa at the bus station at 7.30am, forever giving him a special place in my heart for not making us walk there in the rain and the dawn-light! The bus drops me at Kaiteriteri, where...

permalink written by  LizIsHere on February 18, 2010 from Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

The Centre of NZ

Today I have a sort-of lie-in, then head out to walk up to the centre of New Zealand (apparently someone decided it was on a hill on the outskirts of Nelson... so, it's there). The route takes you through the town centre, past a few hippie buses, and a really good violinist busker, and up a...

permalink written by  LizIsHere on February 17, 2010 from Nelson, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

Nelson... city of sun (just not today)

The bus ride to Nelson today was great - short, but passing by the Pelorus Sound and Havelock, with a stop-off at a lagoon-type area at Pelorus Bridge which would have been great to swim in if we'd had time. Nelson (the sunniest place in NZ apparently, but failing at that today) is colourful,...

permalink written by  LizIsHere on February 16, 2010 from Nelson, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

hippies!

Today I took a hike up to Essons (?) valley to Harbour View - about 40mins fairly steep uphill in the heat - but the view of the harbour, and, on the way up, of the valley and the mountains/large hills were fantastic. On the way down the track meandered through cool green bush to the streets of...

permalink written by  LizIsHere on February 15, 2010 from Picton, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

Kayaks, jellyfish and stingrays

After a lazy day involving a short hike to Bob's Bay off Picton Harbour, and lots of chilling out and juggling practice around the Juggler's Rest, I had my kayaking trip about the Queen Charlotte Sound on Sunday. It's a beautiful day, sunny and calm, with no wind at all until early afternoon,...

permalink written by  LizIsHere on February 14, 2010 from Picton, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

the best hostel in NZ?

An energetic start to today - after being told the wrong pick-up point for my bus, I stood and watched the coach drive past on the opposite side of the road, pulling up at a hostel quite a distance down the street. Cue me running madly after it, heavy rucksack banging on my back, smaller...

permalink written by  LizIsHere on February 12, 2010 from Picton, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

Seals!

My morning seal-swim got cancelled because it wasn't sunny enough (the seals get too warm on the rocks in the sunshine, after returning from long hunting trips with bellies full of food, so they're much more likely to be in and out of the water if it's a warmish day), but luckily the cloud...

permalink written by  LizIsHere on February 11, 2010 from Kaikoura, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

All things marine-related!

Caught my first Magic bus to Kaikoura today. It was a pretty painless trip, our driver Lisa was good fun, giving us some commentary on the places we went past (including Cheviot, which we had a rest stop at) and playing some good-to-bad-to-awful music on her ipod over the coach speakers! We...

permalink written by  LizIsHere on February 10, 2010 from Kaikoura, New Zealand
from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

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