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.
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