The snow is on our heels!!
Trip Start
Apr 30, 2011
1
34
66
Trip End
Dec 08, 2011
Where I stayed
What I did
Centre of New Zealand
Nelson, South Island, New Zealand
Monday, August 15, 2011
Tasman Bay Hostel is a very well kept place and looks very homely. They had a huge fire, comfy chairs and everything was modern. We splashed out on a double room with en-suite for the three nights and it was pretty nice, considering some of the holes we've stayed in! The guy on reception was very welcoming and we had some good banter with him. He also helped us with what to do and where things were. We checked the main centre out and also the super market which wasn't too far. We decided that we would be sensible and not eat out in restaurants (though we did have the odd burger)The weather was very very cold and we'd heard that the snow was down in Wellington and would hit Picton also. Although we didn't have snow, it felt cold enough! Luckily we had duck down duvets and two heaters. That night we were in the kitchen at 2000 for chocolate pudding. The whole hostel was there and some were even lucky enough for seconds. Hot chocolate pudding drowned in chocolate sauce with vannilla ice cream, sitting round the fire on a freezing cold night. Just what the backpackers needed.
Our days in Nelson were again quite relaxed. We headed out to the 'centre of New Zealand' a short steep trek up to a view point that looks out on the city. Here is the proclaimed centre of NZ. We ended up visiting a founders town. Through a lovely windmill lay an old style town with a fire station, dentist, train station, inn etc. We went for the brewery, but being winter it sadly wasn't serving. There is a very nice Japanese garden not far out of the main centre. It's easy to forget where you are when inside and we spent some time here following the ducks around.We did have plans to see Abel Tasman national park, but with it being such an early start and with the weather being so bad we decided not to go.
With the weather warming up a little, it was time for us to be leaving. We were up very early on the day of our departure. In fact we were up early every day in Nelson. This was thanks to our noisy neighbours who would start praying and chanting every day at 5am! We made our way to the pick up point and took our bus to Punakaiki, which to be honest, we didn't know too much about! We had seen recommended on a Nakedbus flyer that it was a nice place to go. And as it would break up our journey down to Franz Josef, we had decided to add it into our itininery.
