Week Seven - Paradise Found

It was a very short two day week on the winery this week.  The team were away for two days at a Wananga.  Wananga is Maori for a forum to hold discussion and gain a deeper understanding.  They stayed on a Marae (spiritual place at the heart of Maori community) and spent two days gaining a better understanding of their Maori tradition, culture and values as well as undertaking a number of team building activities.

With them away my cousin Claire and I took advantage and went in search of paradise...also known as Abel Tasman National Park at the top of the South Island.  The park was founded in 1642 and is named after the first European to discover New Zealand.

We set off to conquer the 32.2km of the Abel Tasman Track...a comfortable three day walk which takes in the most idealistic bush and beach along a dramatic coastal track.

The park is a full on conservation area which means a number of things.  There is no luxury accomodation to stay in.  It's either a Department of Conservation Hut or camping.  We did both.  Secondly there are no bars, cafés or the like...indeed there aren't even any kitchen facilities.  So we headed off into the wilderness with our backpacks full of gas stoves, billy cans, sleeping bags, wipes and camping food and four bottles of Peter Yealands Sauvignon Blanc (not only a great wine but the fact he has the foresight to make it in plastic bottles is so helpful when the rules of the park mean you have to carry your rubbish out with you - saves the weight and the clinking of empty bottles).

A few things struck me along the way...In the order in which they happened:

1.  Decency is still at the heart of the human condition...our bags were dropped off by the water taxi at our final destination for day one (quite literally dropped off on the beach) and were in exactly the same spot when we returned to them 6 hours later after our tramp.  Not only that but someone had taken the wine and put it in the fridge to chill before our arrival - ok that last bit was a fantasy which started about three quarters of the way through our big 17km walk!!

2.  Paradise doesn't have to cost the earth...from here it costs a sum total of $150 for three days and my friends have this on their doorstep.  The scenery is amazing.  Only New Zealand knows how many shades of green there are and how to offset it with golden sands and turquoise water...and best of all, most the beaches are completely empty

First Thursday Club...this is our challenge when we eventually finish the West Highland Way...we deserve it.

3. Whilst I am able to adjust my expectations of life in different situations, can go without washing for three days, can eat camp food and drink warm wine out a plastic cup, I do need some personal space.  We knew that in booking a hut for the night we'd be in basic accomodation, sharing a bunk and a room with other people.  What we hadn't anticipated was that it was one big bunk bed with seven mattresses on each level...that is slightly too familiar.  Not only that but we had the two top corner bunk spots which meant clambering up a ladder...in the dark...cos we were the last ones in at 9pm!! Fumbling and giggling didn't go down well and that was only us trying yo get our PJs on and get into our sleeping bags!!

4.  Good friends are priceless...not only do you get to enjoy their company when they join you on Day Two but they bring your luggage for you and most importantly replenish you with real food and beverages!! Thank you girls.

5.  A modicum of decency should be retained at all times...having readjusted our way of living we walked into camp at Anchorage, pitched our tents and then deemed it acceptable to change into our swimming gear behind the tents.  Unfortunately none of us had seen the really good looking fit man coming out the toilet block (right in front of our tents).  As comments were flying about how liberating it was to be at one with nature our eyes met just as he realised the sight that was beholding him.  His parting shot...said with a smile on his face and through a massive snigger..."you do know there is an enclosed area over here you can be doing that in!!!" Oh how we slowly curled up dying / in hysterics.  Ever felt like the world should have been saved the experience...

So a wonderful time was had by all...we went in as two and came out as six (it was Kirsty's birthday on Saturday so a couple of her friends came and joined us for the last leg).  Many a new experience and lots of laughs were had.

Beyond Abel Tasman we...

...HUNG OUT in Nelson celebrating Kirsty's birthday.  Thank you to the Bairds for their hospitality, great birthday BBQ and relaxed Sunday lunch...

...WINED ON...many things but a wee trip down memory lane with one of the best (first introduced to me by my dear friend Jane McDougall and this time carried into the wilderness with complimentary chocolate by Sarah)...Pepperjack Shiraz...

...DINED ON...packeted dehydrated red Thai curry for night 1 dinner and packeted dehydrated scrambled egg for next day breakfast YUK...followed by the replenishments brought in by Kirsty and Sarah...antipasti style lunch and homemade spaghetti bolognese for dinner...YUM.

Love to you all and will catch up next week.  G