Sunny Nelson

We found this sweet deal of a backpackers in Nelson for $20 a night we got free noodles when signing in, free breakfast and soup (if your quick enough), There was a swimming pool, free WiFi and only a short distants from Nelsons city Centre. That Sunday we went to Nelson City Church, where we had an awesome service and a really spirit filled worship lead by the youth. We were invited back to the churches bring and share lunch where we met loads of cool families as well as Penny and Stefan Menzies an awesome couple that we go on really well with and who were really inviting and friendly. After the lunch Penny and her daughter took us round Nelson showing us all the best places to go.

The plan for the next few day was to hitch up to Farewell Spit, Stefan was going half way so gave us a lift which was awesome, Then we got a ride from a really friendly German couple, who took us to Takaka. Beth had booked this backpackers, that sounded really awesome, 'great retreat' 'beech access in the golden bay' it had this really weird name that we couldn't pronounce as well. We got there to find it was like a Buddhist retreat with some really un-talkative WOF's and no one else. We thought "that's cool we will just spend our time on the beech' the beech was really rocky with no place to swim or to lie on the sand. We both felt "God what are we doing here". Until this American guy called Lee rocks up, we get talking to him and he asks us if we want to go to the local pub for a drink so with nothing better to do we accept.

The pub was called 'the muscle inn' an awesome pub, they made there own range of beers which tasted really great. They also happened to have a salsa night on that night which was awesome. We had a go a salsa and met some guys from Israel and laughed ourselves silly trying to join in with all the locals.

The next day Lee was driving all the way to Farwell Spit and asked us to come along so we did. Walked along the spit for a bit then went to Wharariki beech which had the most golden sand i have ever seen it was huge and went on forever and we were the only ones there.Crazy.

Lee then took us back to Takaka, we were planning to go to Abel Tasman next but we had only taken a small pack with us and we were both getting short of clean clothes and tired so decide to head back to Nelson. We hitched for ages without getting a ride, one guys stopped and helpfully told us we should look for accommodation in Takaka because it was getting to late in the day for hitchhiking. So as we got out our BBH book to look for accommodation Beth prayed "please God give us a ride all the way to Nelson" guess what, the next car took us all the way t Nelson, call it coincidence if you want, but we were gobsmacked by a miracle! The women that picked us up was the only female tractor sales women in New Zealand so we were quite thankful for our dad's boring lectures on tractors because it all came in handy on that hour or so journey.

We had great fun the next couple of days hanging out in Nelson, by the pool at the backpacker catching the rays and just chilling.

West Coast!

From Wanaka we headed up the rainy, rainy west coast stopping for a night a Franz Josef. Where we lazily hitched a ride to the glacier and hitched a ride back. Both very excited for our first hitch hiking experience. The Glacier was cool but I think from going there we realised ice just isn't our thing, I'm sure it is very interesting for you geologists or maybe it was just the rain but we got bored quite quickly walking in front of the glacier. Imagine if we had payed for a hike! We we're more impressed by the waterfall next to the glacier!

After we left Franz Josef we kept heading up and stopped at Punakiki for half an hour or so to see the pancake rocks an blow holes, which are definitely worth a look at if your going passed. We reached Nelson that Saturday evening.

"Home of inappropriately placed benches"

Our next stop was Wanaka where we stayed for three days at a backpackers about 10mins walk form the main town and lake front. Wanaka is a cool little town still very suburban although there is some tourism there but mainly for the winter in the snowboarding season. The lake was great and we did some great walks around it but it was nothing like lake Tekapo and wherever we would walk we would stop and sit down to a bench to find it facing the opposite way from the view or there was a big bush infront, crazy but hilariuos.

We did go to the Paradismo Cinema during my stay which is one of my best kiwi experiences so far. It was basically made by a guy that sayed "we need a cinema in this town" so he made one. You go in and sit down or lie on old sofas, airiplane seats, bean bags or even an old car. Then one of the staff shuts the door and yells "is everyone warm enough cause I can change the air con if you want?" (only in New Zealand) Then after everyone dicsusses the heat she runs to the back and starts the film, Which watched RED which is a good film but tripled in standards because of the confort of feeling like your at home in your lounge. In the middle of the film there is an intervle where we get to go and buy freshly made cookies and ice cream, so good. So much fun and would recomend Padismo Cinema to anyone whois going through Wanaka.

Milford Sound

That Monday we got a bus early from Queenstown that took us to Milford Sound. We had a really hot week in Queenstown so Beth and I automatically put on shorts and T-shirts didn't even contemplate taking a rain coat! Surprisingly it was a horrible wet cold day, but we decided early on that we would both make the most of it despite the weather. To embrace this Beth bought some socks to wear with her jandals to take the chill of things, kinds.

The bus ride was very touristy with around five other buses all taking the same route to get to Milford, our driver was hilarious, but you got to a point were you didn't believe a word he said because of his jokey, kiwi personality. We would stop of at some touristy places on the way with all other five buses and bustle around the bush walks with all the other foreigners taking photos of every leaf and twig. Hilarious attitude people were literally queueing up to get this one picture of a bridge. At this point we decided to take lots of random photos to take the mick! Really great fun and made our time, being herded around like cattle, much more enjoyable.

Once we got to Milford we hopped on our boat thinking it would be just like the previous description to find the absolute opposite there were only twenty of us on this hundred passenger boat, quite small compared to the other boats. Beth and I borrowed some coats from the boat and spent the whole of the cruise out on the front deck. We had so much fun and despite the weather the scenery was so spectacular and there were some great waterfalls that apparently you can't see unless its raining. On waterfall our captain took us right under and we stayed there for ages! Beth was the only one left out there by the end we all went it because we were so wet. 

It was quite late when we got back to Queenstown and Beth felt quite ill so went back to Emily and Jonny's, and i went to the backpackers where all our stuff was.