Hiking the Abel Tasman

Monday I traveled via Air New Zealand from Auckland to Nelson in the South Island. This was my open week with no travel plans and when I emailed my sister who lived in NZ for 3 years for recommendation about where to go she said, head south. She also put me in touch withsome of her good friends Richard & Kaye Dyer who volunteered to host me during my visit as well as one of her best friend's Pam who for the past 2 days has played tour guide to me as we hiked part of the Abel Tasman together. The Abel Tasman is one of NZ's great walks and was hihgly recommended by my friend Jennifer Cobb who also hiked it 2 years ago. Am still fighting a bit of a cold and full of snot so knew I wasn't up to doing the whole 3-5 day trek, but was very glad Pam had offered to take me on a 1 day hike.

I took the bus to Motueka early Tues am where I met Pam for a nice coffee before heading up to Marahau where we started our hike. We walked the first 5 hr leg of the park past Appletree Beach and Torrent Bay before leaving the trail to bushwack down a private track to emerge at Boundary Bay. We met Pam's friend Terry who has a private batch on this secluded cove and were greeted by a warm fire and cups of tea and bics. The track hugs the edge of seaside cliffs and though it was gray and a bit rainy in bits it was a lovely journey and we worked up quite a sweat. I was glad for a warm shower and sat in awe watching the sun fade over the aqua waters of boundary bay. Pam cooked a lovely summer of stuffed chicken breasts on Terry's wood stove and veg and we listened to the radio chatted late until retiring to proper beds with hot water bottles, a great way to end a day of hiking. The next day we explored a bit of bounday and frenchman bays, had a lovely egg & bcon breakfast overlooking the water, and relished in the rising sun of a bright clear day. I wished we could stay another few days but alas the water taxi arrived at noon and we jouneyed back 30 mins or so to Marahau and then hiked back to the part entrance where we left the car.

The rest of the day was spent talking over tea, eating ice cream, exploring bits of Motueka and sitting in a hot spa overlooking the sea and mountains. Another blessed day that make me appreciate God's great creation and provision.