New Zealand – 13th Nov 2008 - Day 21

Today started with a few clouds and some fog. However, after breakfast, the clouds had rolled back. We checked out of our B&B and moved all of 100 yards to our next B&B. They have a great dog here called Ruby. She is a three year old golden Labrador and is very, very friendly!

We checked in and then drove next door to Abel Tasman Water Taxi’s. We boarded our boat at 9am and then the tractor took us and the boat down to the quay. Once in the water we sped of to bark bay.

Once there, we began the seven hour hike, back to Marahau. After about an hour we came across a couple of Scottish hikers. We got chatting and spent the next hour and a half walking with them. Gavin, about 50, we from Edinburgh, as was his niece, Mary. He had come out to NZ three years ago having left his wife and son and a girlfriend! He was now living with a Kiwi girlfriend in Christchurch and loving NZ. His niece had been working as a midwife in Scotland and was now enjoying working in a Christchurch hospital. .They both love NZ and have no intention of moving back to bonny Scotland.

On the way back we stopped at a wonderful place called Cleopatra’s pools. You have never seen such clear water. John walked through the ice cold water to the water falls for a photo or two. What a great place.

Later on we stopped at another bay for a spot of late lunch. There were muscles clinging to every rock in the bay. We picked eight huge babies to have to dinner tonight.

We continued on our hike, meeting the Canadian couple who we had kayaked with the previous day. They were hiking in the other direction. The views from this hike were stunning. We have never seen so many picture perfect bays in such a concentrated area. The beaches here are pristine.

We arrived back at Marahau seven hours to the minute from leaving bark bay. What a wonderful hike. The best in NZ so far. The good weather helped to make this a memorable event.

We arrived back at our B&B after trying to book some beach based horse riding. We had seen some people riding on the way back into the bay. It looked great.

Once back at the hotel we met a couple from Manchester who have been living in NZ for a year. John and Rachel are both GP’s and fancied a year away form the UK. We ended up sitting with them in the sun having a drink and chatting about travelling. They have decided it is too depressing to go back to the UK for too long, so thay have booked a place in Morzine, in the French Alps and will ski for the entire season. John turned Green!!
When the sun set, we came back to our cozy cabin and finished our tuna pasta meal. John cleaned the muscles from Stilwell Bay and added them to the mix. Delicious!

We watched some TV, where the weather forecast looks good. If we can horse ride tomorrow we might just stay here another night. If your reading this blog with an eye to going to NZ, put Abel Tasman on our list. It is truly stunning.