Hello again out there!
Christian and I are back in the internet cafe, just in time to update you on our life.
One month later, we have been finally seeing the beautiful things people talk about in this country. We completed 2 4-day backpacking trips - the Queen Charlotte track and the Abel Tasman Coastal Track. Since it is the end of summer, beginning of fall here, we thought we might as well do some beach tracks and save the alpine stuff for later.
I think I now see why people rave about here... the Abel Tasman in particular was stunning. Lush and green along bright clean blue almost carribean looking beaches. There were tidal crossings in which you have to time your walk to correspond with low tide. When the tide is out, the sand is vast and looks like a wet desert.
Both Christian and I felt like we could stay out on the track for a long time. In fact, the last day we did not want to leave the beautiful beach we were camped on so despite the lack of much food left we spent the morning there reading and getting a sunburn and hiked out in the afternoon.
We met some interesting people along the track too. One night we sat around a picnic table until after dark talking with a ex-navy Kiwi who has worked for 5 years in London, and a 19 year old Dutch couple who had been dating since they were 14. The Kiwi guy explained all about yachting to us - much more than a rich man's sport apparently.
On the third day of the Queen Charlotte track - the best day in terms of views etc., I came up with a name for our van! Greenstone is the less precious and more abundant form of Jade, and is special to the Maoris, who call it "Pounamou". They make tiki necklaces out of it, among other things. Sticking with the colors theme, green in the new van's case, we are calling our van "The Pounamou Palace".
Most of this will probably be in the many pictures Christian is posting. Check them out at
http://www.bigbluebugblog.blogspot.com.
Hope you are not overwhelmed by information and that you are all well.
Love
Laura
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3 comments:
Your photos are beautiful.
Dear Laura and Christian, I love this blog. The pictures are great. I sent the link to Gabi's mother so that she can look at it too.
Susan
Thanks for the commpliments on the photos!!! But the thanks should go to my wonderful sisters for purchasing the camera for me before our trip!!! thanks again!!!
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