Wondrous World of Wearable Art and Abel Tasman National Park

Above: Only Fools and Horses car in the Wondrous World of Wearable Art, Nelson.

Above: Abel Tasman National Park, view of Onetahuti.

Got the Abel Tasman Coach Line from Nelson to Marahau and arrived at 10.30ish. I left my stuff at the iSite and went off on the track. After about a 4 hour trek I got to Anchorage where I stayed the night in a hut and got half eaten by Sandflies. Bastards. My feet are now in one of Dantes circles from hell. I am seriously considering amputation. Anchorage Bay was pretty gorgeous and I was sat on the beach for ages, not another soul in sight. I did think I might have to stay in th hut all by myself which would have been awfully surreal and my mental health would have been affected had not 2 Germans come along in a kayak. That's probably the first time I've been relieved to see a German. We chatted until it went dark; all the time I was thinking "Don't mention ze war!" I didn't. They were awfully nice, and lent me a torch so I could read Brideshead Revisited before turning in for the night.

I got up at 8 and started off at half past. Somewhere on the way I must have lost my old black cardigan. Alas! old friend! It was in appalling condition anyway with far too few buttons and far too many holes to be considered useful. Ah well. I walked to Barks Bay and met a blonde photographer Kiwi lad and we had a spot of lunch with these ducks watching us the entire time. We were going opposite ways so we parted, and I walked the last stretch to Onetahuti, another beautiful long beach. The Marahau Water Taxi picked me up at 3 and I was out of there, gladly saying adieu to the evil, pure evil Sandflies. Chance would have it I met the photographer boy again being picked up at Anchorage, or was it Torrent Bay? Je ne sais pas. It turned out most of the people on the water taxi (ALACK! Not the fit guy I was sat next to) were going back to Nelson or Motueka on a bus, so I got on it too ($9 to Nelson) and so here I am again, in the same hostel, in the same dorm room, in the very same bed.

Above: View of Trafalgar Street from the Cathedral Steps, Nelson.
I really like Nelson and I'm tempted to ask the hostel man if I can work here for free accomodation. I just had a wander around today, and now it's sunny again Nelson is all the prettier. I went to Inland Revenue and got the forms for getting my tax back, but it turns out I worked across 2 financial years so this might prove tricky to get any money at all. I also had to go to the cinema because I left my mobile there last night and I only found out because they'd rung my mother from it and she facebooked me. Well done mum. The battle of technology has finally been won...ish.

Further plans: might join the Stray bus as it looks cheaper than getting the Intercity, plusit'd be easier to meet people. I did feel rather isolated in Abel Tasman, and given the time of year, the hostels aren't very busy. I might try other hostels to work for in Nelson if this one doesn't need me, just for a couple of weeks, the 3-4 weeks travelling, then staying, perhaps in Dunedin before going for my flight in Christchurch.

Oh, and a little dicky bird told me the Cobar staff were reading my blog and there has been "talk". Haha, you devils, I miss thee! Hope you're all well. My little voodoo do---sorry my little doll of Paddy got his hair wet so I might have to shampoo it at some point. He's quite a hit with the ladies...