Finally - we can take a photo in the sun…. Threw everything in the boot, prepared lunch and sadly left our lovely hosts. Day 2 in the Abel Tasman was looking good with hardly a cloud in the sky. I had planned a 14km bush walk from Bark Bay to Anchorage. Annelise was being dropped off else where and had a choice: sunbathe and wait for me or start my route from the other end and meet me at the idyllic sounding Cleopatra's Pool. After 2 ½ hours undul...

Day 16…... Awoke before dawn the the sound of rain on the tin roof. Didn't bode well for the kayak trip. Sky had cleared by 8 when we tucked into our muffins and coffee. Met up with our guide on the beach at Kaiteriteri. Shaws (Dutch) gave us a tour up the coast and told stories of Abel Tasman discovering New Zealand and Tasmania but missing Australia. He (Abel) got Maori protocol wrong on the first encounter and they killed a few of his men. AT gave a bad r...

Day 15 Up to the north coast Had a good natter with our host Nolene over breakfast: as well as running the lodge she was a nurse and farmed 4,000 ewes. A tough old bird if ever there was one. Today's destination was Motueka, gateway to the Abel Tasman national park. First couple of hours took us along the Buller river gorge. Stopped to take photos every now and again. The main event en route was the longest swing bridge in New Zealand - with a span of about...