Day Nine: Abel Tasman Park and NelsonLL

See ya Kiwiana!

It felt good to leave the Kiwiana Hostel in Takaka. After just four days I started to feel like I lived there and always had a friend around. This was nice, but I was ready to fly solo again. Kai and I walked to the bus stop and my bus arrived shortly. The bus consisted of the driver, one woman and me. We both sat up front next to the bus driver. The woman was an adventure ultra runner. She abhorred “road” running and only did trails and mountains. Her longest race ever? 100 MILES, not kilometers. She was in New Zealand for some good runs and to meet the boss adventurer runner. It happened that the most adventurous runner is a guy named Nathan who lives in the town we had just departed from. 

Where I was using the bus to progress on my journey, the adventure runner woman was using it to get dropped off and run home. And she had just run a marathon yesterday. She was interesting to talk to and inspired me to take my own runs to the next level. She explained that people who don’t do sports run, and runners who don’t run fast do trail running. That’s a non intimidating motto to try out. There happens to be a trail marathon in Kentucky not far from my house. Maybe now is the time to step up.

This is where the bus dropped me off for my next leg

This is a water taxi

The bus dropped me off in a park where I was to catch the water taxi that would drop me off in the Abel Tasman National Park. I’d leave my heavy pack on the boat and they’d pick me up much further down the track. While this sounds like a complicated plan, and it did take a local to figure it out for me, it is a surprisingly normal thing to do around here. The water taxi docked before long at all and I rushed to get off the boat. The taxi departed and I realized I had no idea where I was going and the trail was not clear. After aimlessly walking on a hot beach for a few minutes I removed my pink gloves and asked an elderly couple which way was it to Medlands Beach? They were upset that the taxi had dropped me where it did because I was on the wrong side of a body water to walk to Medlands. They offered me a ride across the little bay in their tiny row boat.

Little did I know when I took this picture that I'd soon be riding on that little silver boat

They were a retired couple who had just bought one of the few homes available for purchase in the national park. They pointed it out to me on the shore. As we approached the bank the husband hopped out of the boat and pulled the boat to shore so that I wouldn’t get my shoes wet. As I got out my pink gloves fell on the ground. Embarrassing. For the sun I explained, and demonstrated my red hands. They assured me this was normal and sun protection was very important. Their adult son and grandson were waiting on the shore and seemed a little confused by my presence in the elderly couples’ boat. “You have nice parents” I told him as I walked past to start my walk. 

I snuck a photo of my helper couple as they sped away.

Lots of this view on the hike 

These knuckleheads joined me for this part of the "trail"

The walk was beautiful and I easily understood why the Abel Tasman is the most popular Kiwi national park. The combining of lush greenery and clear blue waters really makes for an impressive landscape. Still thinking of the Canadian adventurer runner, I half ran and half walked the trail. The track was very hilly and I didn’t want to miss things. I stumbled upon a bird family complete with Mama, Papa and a whole mess of babies!

I passed a huge waterfall and walked over several suspension bridges that cautioned no more than five people at a time. I made it to my pick up spot in well under the projected time. I used my bonus time to relax on the beach and play with the shells. I made little scenes out of shells and dead animal parts. The water taxi finally came and I enjoyed another scenic ride. 

The Palace

A couple hours later I made it to the Palace Backpackers in Nelson. By luck I found a little vegetarian cafe. After dinner I picked up some supplies for the next day from the grocery store. Then I went back to my palace and fell fast asleep. 

Kiwi and Maori Vocabulary

Backpackers=Hostel 

Kumara=Sweet potato