Down the West Coast

Driving down the West Coast

After spending a couple of days enjoying the Saturday Farmer's Market, good food at hospitality of Nelson, we made our way down the west coast of New Zealand's south island via bus. The drive along South Highway 6 is considered one of the most scenic in the world, and it didn't disappoint. After sweet talking the bus driver just a little to take us the extra 15 miles from the "official" bus stop to the driveway of the Bed and Breakfast where we are staying, we arrived at our destination between Punakaiki and Greymouth safe and sound. This area is best known for its unique rock formations, known as "pancake rocks" because they look stacked on top of one another, and for its "blowholes," which are unique alcoves in the seaside cliffs and rocks that, when the rough west coast surf hits them at high tide, shoot the water high into the sky with surprising force. We arrived at low tide, so we didn't see any of those, but we saw plenty to keep us in awe of New Zealand.

Beautiful beach view from the room

The Breakers Seaside Bed and Breakfast is the kind of locally owned and operated place travelers dream of staying. The owner greeted us at the driveway herself and showed us around, and we felt instantly right at home. Even Nicco, her giant Dalmatian and Ziggy, her German shorthaired pointer, came to greet us. She even called the bus company herself to confirm our ride for tomorrow, and offered to give us a ride to the pickup. For me, this, along with the incredible hospitality we have been shown elsewhere during our trip, is further proof that Kiwis are a very special group of people. After we got settled in, we explored the beach a bit. The surf here is quite rough. Rough enough for a surfing competition, which was apparently taking place yesterday. A few of the stragglers were enjoying some joyrides while we watched this afternoon.

Waterfall at the edge of the beach

Exploring the surf. You can't see them, but there are trillions of black mussels on the rocks we're standing on, for as far as we could see.

After exploring and getting cleaned up a bit, we had homemade chicken lasagna and salad for dinner, along with some of the amazing New Zealand wine which seems to be everywhere around here. Yet again, things just seem to be getting better.

Sunset on the West Coast

Beach and Jungle Adventures

Welcome to the Abel Tasman

We just got back from a 3 day bushwalk in the Abel Tasman National Park, which is, quite possibly, one of the most stunning places I have ever been. We got picked up at our hotel in Nelson at 7:00am, made some rounds to pick up some other trampers, had a brief orientation with our guides, Marios (a British transplant) and Kat (a born and raised Kiwi about my age), and set out on the Coastal Track, the most popular trail in the park. Within 10 minutes of starting our walk, it was very easy to see why.

One of the first beaches we hiked along.

The special thing about the Abel Tasman Coastal Track is that it literally follows the coastline, so you walk through incredible, postcard-worthy tropical beaches and equally incredible and postcard-worthy podocarp rainforests within minutes of one another. The amazing views just never stopped, and I was glad when lunchtime came, not because I was really tired, but because it was the first chance I had to sit down and really take in the scenery. Not to mention the fact that the trekking company we were hiking with packed us some seriously amazing lunches.

Lunch Break

After hiking about 10 miles, we arrived at Torrent Bay, where our lodge for the night was located. The Torrent Bay lodge was right on the beachfront, and was complete with even more amazing views, incredibly comfortable rooms and even more amazing food, all of which has to be brought to the lodge by boat, since there are no roads through the inner sections of the park.

Exploring the lodgefront after dinner.

On our second day, after a wonderful breakfast, we walked about 11 miles total. This day was truly special, because we got to cross an old swing bridge over a waterfall (which I admit got my heart racing a bit),

Falls River Swing Bridge

have a long lunch and a swim at another beautiful beach, and cross an estuary at high tide (the trail goes right through it, and it's the only way...as the signs say, there is "no high tide alternative"). The water only ended up coming up to my chest, but it was fun regardless.

Having a swim before crossing the estuary

The last few miles of our hike on the second day were actually rather difficult, with several hills to climb, but with outstanding views that made it all worth it.

Looking down into the bay where our night #2 lodge was

Another fun thing about our second day was that we really got to know some of the other people on the hike with us. There were the "Dunedin Dashers," a group of Kiwi women from Dunedin in the far south who were hilarious and walked with lightning speed (hence the "Dashers" part). There was an American couple from Portland with their 4 year old son, who was completely adorable and amazingly resilient (he hiked the entire time for 2 of the 3 days we were out). There was also an incredibly nice German couple who didn't speak very much English but managed to fascinate everyone all the same, a British couple on an extended holiday, and a man from Auckland who came down to kayak by himself "just because." All in all a very entertaining group.

And there was Archie, the 14 year old Jack Russell and resident watchdog at Meadowbank Homestead (where we stayed on night #2), who I found sunbathing next to my bed when I walked in my room.

Our lodge for the second night was Meadowbank Homestead. The property was originally owned by a farmer in the early days of New Zealand, and has a bit of a checkered past, since the lady of the house was murdered by her second husband after he had divorced her and given her two children. The descendants of the original owners wished to return the Homestead to its original glory, so when the owner of the trekking company married into that family, he turned it into a beautiful lodge that hundreds of hikers and kayakers a year now enjoy.

The view from Meadowbank at low tide.

After yet another wonderful meal and good night's sleep in a beachside lodge, we packed up for the third and final day of hiking. We only hiked about 4 miles on the last day, but it was still beautiful. We hiked through some original, or "virgin" forest, which has never been cut or disturbed since its discovery, and we crossed another estuary.

Crossing an estuary on the Track. A little less gracefully than I might've liked, but I made it.

After hiking across one last beach, we got to the end of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track. I guess you could say we "thru-hiked" it. Total, it was about 25 miles. With the amazing food, lodges and scenery, it was truly something special.

Hiking the last beach on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track

A boat, or more appropriately, "water taxi," picked us up at the end of the Track. The water taxi system is amazing here. They take your bags, packs, kayaks and/or gear to any beach on the Track, and will drop you off or pick you up at any point. True service. We rode the boat back along the coast for a great look at some of the beaches we had just hiked, and got to stop for lunch at a little beach you can't get to from the main Track.

Lunch Beach

After being lazy at the beautiful Lunch Beach and getting some sun, we packed it up back on the boat to the entrance of the Park, and were taken back to Nelson by the trekking company bus. I was tired, a little sunburned, but completely happy. We actually spent two nights in Nelson after we got back, just resting and exploring the little town and enjoying some of the local food (New Zealand meat pies are incredible). Overall, I have to say those three days were a few of the best days I've had in a long time.

Leaving our Abel Tasman Adventure

Nelson

Sunrise in Blenheim

Today was a relatively slow day, since the only thing we had planned was a relocation to a new city. We spent the morning wandering around the area around our hotel after we checked out. There was a small shopping center across the street where we had brunch and did a little shopping. I had a salmon and cream cheese quiche and purchased myself a merino-mink sweater. It might be worth noting that there is no mink in merino-mink clothing. It's a very Kiwi material, and it is a blend of merino wool, a little silk, and possum fur. New Zealand, just like the woods back home, is plagued by pesky possums, which kill lots of the ground dwelling native birds (like the Kiwi bird, the national icon). So New Zealanders found a very creative way to encourage people to help downsize the possum population. Possum pelts go for $7.00 per piece here, and I was told by a local possum hunter, that on an average night in the summer, he can catch 80 possums. Pretty lucrative business, no? The merino-mink sweaters are beautiful and soft. Maybe the states should adopt a similar technique for their own possums.

Possum-free Blenheim vineyards.

After looking around for a bit, we loaded ourselves onto a bus for the 2 hour ride west to Nelson.

Waiting for the bus.

Nelson is the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park, and it's claim to fame is the beautiful podocarp forests and virtually untouched beaches there. Nelson itself is a really neat little town situated in a valley, with its outskirts creeping up the nearby hillsides. Driving in, we could see the beaches around town even though it was raining. We wandered around town for a bit and finally found a small pub to have some dinner in.

Vic's Brew Bar, Nelson New Zealand. Tasty lamb burgers.

After dinner, we got settled in our hotel pretty early, because we have a very early day tomorrow. Phase two of our New Zealand Adventure coming soon!

Nelson Cathedral

ALSO - We were 800 miles from Christchurch, where the massive earthquake hit, and we aren't planning on going there at all. We are completely fine. Please keep the Kiwis in your thoughts while they recover.

Tramping

Tramper

Today, I found myself back in my element - on a hiking trail. Excuse me, here, it's referred to as a "track," not a trail, and the proper verb is "tramping" or "tracking." Regardless of what you call it, it was definitely wonderful. We got picked up from our hotel in Marlborough quite early this morning, and went to the nearby town of Picton, which is at the very northern tip of the South Island, and it's where all the ferries from the North Island land. We knew we were going to have to take a boat to get to our tramping grounds for the day, and even though it was a little chilly this morning, it warmed up the instant the sun came out, and we were greeted with some truly spectacular scenery.

Those are clouds, not snow. Magical.

On our way to the Queen Charlotte Track, a trail that runs about 44 miles down the length of the Queen Charlotte Sound, we also spotted my favorite animal, and one I have never had the opportunity to see in the wild.

PENGUIN! You can't see him so well, but he's there. He's a blue-eyed penguin, the smallest species of penguin in the world. So he's a nano penguin. How fitting.

Our local wilderness guide got off the boat with us at Ship's Cove, which is where the Queen Charlotte Track begins. It was named by Captain Cook, who was the first white man to explore New Zealand in the late 1700s. Abel Tasman, a Dutchman, had discovered New Zealand about 80 years prior to Captain Cook, but after the local Maori peoples had a few of his crewmen for dinner before they even got off their rowboats, he, along with all the Europeans he went back and told, decided to steer clear of New Zealand for awhile. Captain Cook was the next European brave enough to venture to New Zealand, and the first to be brave enough to set foot on shore. He survived. Ship's Cove happened to be his favorite Southern port, and once we climbed to the top of the first hill it was easy to see why.

Captain Cook's favorite spot.

I would post more pictures of the views from the Queen Charlotte Track, but they are all equally stunning, and it's simply impossible for me to choose. Suffice it to say that we were looking down at that turquoise water and jungle forest all day long, and I could've looked at it for many more days. Adriana, our guide who tramped with us, was extremely knowledgable and was able to tell us all about the flora (neverending), fauna (there's only possums and bugs...no really, that's all there is here...New Zealand has no native snakes or mammals...only birds and insects...everything else has been introduced and has proliferated...especially the possums...) and history of the area. She also made us hot French Press coffee to go with our gourmet sandwiches and homemade granola bars at lunch. Best wilderness guide ever. After about 7 miles of tramping, we descended the last hill to the bay, where the lack of altitude did not mean a lack of gorgeous views.

Queen Charlotte Track Beach

Another mile of tramping and we ended our walk at Ferneau Lodge, a 130 year old homestead established by a British family that now serves as a gorgeous hotel for trampers on the Queen Charlotte Track. I think the AT could learn something from the Kiwis. Four star AT shelters? I guarantee it would create more thru-hikers. The entire Queen Charlotte Track takes 4 days to complete, and all of the accommodations are apparently as nice a Ferneau. Unfortunately, we did not plan 4 days worth of tramping here, so we boarded a ferry back to Picton. The ferry also serves as the mail boat, since most of the houses and lodges here can only be accessed by water. I'd like to be a mailman here, I think. We took a shuttle back to our hotel in Blenheim for some well deserved showering and a local wine, cheese, fruit and bread supper. I'm very glad that I was able to incorporate some hiking/tramping into this adventure on the other side of the world. I just wouldn't feel like Nano without it.

Happy Trampers

Sounds, Shellfish and "Savs"

Cruising Marlborough Sounds

Today, on our first full day in New Zealand, we spent the day exploring the three things that make the Marlborough region famous: sounds, mussels, and wine. A sound is a sunken riverbed, which is formed when a tectonic plate overlaps its neighbor and pushes it down, sinking things like riverbeds. The effect is striking - mountain ranges that seem to spring up from the middle of huge bays. Cruising through the Marlborough sounds was completely breathtaking. But the sounds aren't just a bunch of pretty faces. They are also, apparently, the ideal climate for greenshell mussels. 90% of the world's greenshell mussels are produced in the Marlborough Sounds. We visited one of the 600+ mussel farms in the sounds, and were treated to a taste of the regions most famous food. Being allergic to shellfish, I could only enjoy with my eyes, but because the mussels are so fragile, New Zealand is the only place in the world you can enjoy these critters fresh, and they looked and smelled delicious. However, I did enjoy some of the local Sauvignon Blanc, or "Sav" as the locals call it, which Marlborough is particularly famous for.

Mussel Boats tending the crop

The treats of Marlborough Sounds

After our cruise and seafood, we had lunch at the marina in Havelock, the main town in the Marlborough Sounds area. And by main town, I mean a village of 900 people. I had fish and chips, and it was divine. Which is saying something because I've had fish and chips in London, England, and these blew the British version out of the water. After lunch, our local guide escorted us on an afternoon winery tour. We went to three wineries. The first was a small boutique winery owned and operated entirely by a husband and wife team. The second was a strictly organic vineyard, which prunes their vines with grazing sheep, uses insects for pollination, and uses no pesticides, herbicides or preservatives. The third was the relatively well known Cloudy Bay winery, which is extremely popular here in the region. Each of the vineyards seemed to be more beautiful than the one before.

Wine Tasters.

We made it back to our hotel around 5:00 pm. After running around all day, we were all pretty tired, but in a very good way. Our local guide had let us stop at a local grocery to pick up some wine, cheese and crackers to go with some of the wine we acquired during the vineyard tour, so that was our supper. We ended the day with a great taste, literally and figuratively, of what Marlborough, New Zealand has to offer.

Hunting for adventure in the New Zealand grapevines

Quote of the Day: "You can't have these [mussels] like this anywhere else in the world. Bit of a tease, really..." -Ryan, our local guide/expert.

Kia Ora!

On our way to another grand adventure!

Kia Ora, Followers of Nano, and welcome to Nano's latest adventure...in New Zealand! Which, geographically, is as far away from the Appalachian Trail as I can get without starting to come back again. I know that, originally, I planned this blog to be a blog about my AT hike, but I am so excited about this trip that I felt compared to fire the website back up. Besides, trekking halfway around the world absolutely counts as an adventure, and I'm still Nano, even if my trails have strayed a bit from the familiar AT. So, for the next month, I will be sharing my experiences while I explore this beautiful new country. I've never been to New Zealand before, but I've dreamed of coming here for years, ever since I fell in love with J.R.R. Tolkein's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and realized it was filmed here. The fact that New Zealand is considered by many to be the global leader in ecotourism and mecca for outdoors enthusiasts is just icing. Once again, my incredible parents are with me. We finally made it to the other side of the world after a total of about 18 hours of flight time. That seems like a lot, but the timing couldn't have been better, since our longest flight left LAX at 10:00 pm and arrived in Auckland at 8:00 am. It just felt like a cramped night's sleep. Even though the personal entertainment systems in every seat and the far-above-average food on Air New Zealand made the trip go by in a flash, I was elated to touch down on kiwi soil.

The Kiwi's are serious about their biosecurity. No really. Even certain types of shampoos are prohibited.

We made it through customs and took a puddle jumper from Auckland to the South Island, specifically the Marlborough region, which, in fact, is famous for producing wine, not cigarettes.

It's also where New Zealand starts to look a lot like Middle Earth...

We made it to our first hotel, which is smack dab in the middle of vineyard country, very smoothly. The proprietors of the hotel were extremely hospitable, and before we could even catch our breath we had a bottle of wine (made from grapes grown on vines we were literally looking at as we drank it) and a cheese tray in front of us, and after washing 30 hours worth of airport grime off of us and a nice nap, we had an amazing dinner featuring local ingredients.

It looked good enough to eat.

Marlborough sits in the valley between two pretty impressive mountain ranges, and even in our first day here it is easy to see why filmmakers, photographers, foodies, nature freaks and jet setters alike dream of coming here. It's gorgeous. And that description can't do what I've seen today justice. I'm beyond excited about this latest adventure. Stay tuned. No doubt there are amazing things to come.

The Adventuring Family outside our room in Marlborough

Distance Travelled Today: 8,000+ miles

Quote of the Day: "Ma'am please remove whatever you have in your groin." -Pompous TSA agent to my mother.