My 2014 Adventure: Travels to Singapore, Australia & New Zealand: Nelson & Abel Tasman

On Friday I spent the day in Nelson, and because I was traveling solo I booked a day trip with a company to the Abel Tasman Coastal Track. A bus picked me up at the beginning of the day and took me to Marahau. I was loaded onto a speed boat sitting on a rack, pulled by a tractor. They used these cute little Ford tractors to pull the boats to the ramps. The skipper, Brett, and I were the only ones in the boat for a while so we chatted and made our way to pick up literally a boat-load of Germans at another beach. Once we were all packed onto the tiny speed boat we started our adventure. Brett drove us by Split Apple Rock, made of the characteristic golden granite that makes up the beaches in this area. We then rode to Adele Island, a predator free island in Abel Tasman National Park that is home to native birds and New Zealand fur seals.

After this it was time for Brett to drop us all off at Torrent Bay to begin our coastal tramp. I hiked from Torrent Bay to Bark Bay (2.5 hours or 7.7 km), and then from Bark Bay to Onetahuti (2 hours or 6.1 km). Although this was an 8.5 mile tramp, it didn't seem like it at all! I've included a lot of pictures because thus far, Abel Tasman is the most beautiful place I've been to in New Zealand!!! The beautiful clear, blue waters and golden sand beaches were a perfect backdrop to my day. It was also very warm so at the end when I reached Onetahuti I was able to take a swim. Our skippers picked us up at a designated time in the afternoon. I'm glad I didn't miss the boat because if so you either had to walk back or spend the night. We then rode to Tonga Island right off the coast of Onetahuti to see more fur seals. I felt sad for the females because our skipper said after their 11 month gestation period, they climb up into the bush to give birth, spend a couple of weeks, and when they come back down to the shore they are "immediately knocked up again" and those are his words, not mine. On the ride back to Nelson my legs started to hurt, and to say the least I slept very well that night.

Today I rode the bus to Blenheim where my new housemate, Pat, picked me up at the station. I was surprised to learn that I'll be rooming in a house with three guys: Pat, Dave, and Aaron. Also Pat has two dogs named Crank and Bear. I can definitely say that this will be a social experiment in my life considering I have never lived with men besides my dad before. For instance, I was offered a breakfast of two hamburgers, toast, spaghetti from a can, and a fried egg...which I ate gladly because I was starving. Pat said we'll be eating a lot of meat because these guys go hunting all the time. There are pictures and DVDs of them catching wild boars. I'm looking forward to this new adventure, wish me luck!