Lovely Nelson - and glaciers

I write this on the coach to Franz Josef.... surprisingly not bored yet after 6 hours (only 5 hours to go, BOOM) as the scenery is rather lovely. But thought should use time productively rather than staring out of window like a goon, so here goes! Nelson update!

Pretty ferry pics for you

Sooooo the ferry eventually arrived in Picton at about 11.45; after successfully navigating the ferry and baggage collection and shuttle bus to the big terminal, I located my bus and hopped on. All this was far less stressful than it should have been, mainly because of 2 really nice people – a girl with blue hair who had been at her Wellington college open day, and her mum who had pink hair. Alas I didn't get their names so they will remain Blue-Haired Girl and Pink-Haired Mum. I shall remember them fondly for their kind offers of a lift to Nelson and excellent chat about coffee on the bus.

After a seemingly brief 2hr coach journey to Nelson (via Blenheim – heart of Marlborough wine country) I fell off the bus with a ravening hunger. So I betook myself and gigantic bags – I reckon I'm carrying about half my body weight around atm: 20kg rucksack and what feels like 10kg of smaller rucksack and foodbags – to Morrison St Café which was lovely. I chowed down some tasty gluten-free sausage rolls, salad and tomato chutney, then washed that down with a latte and pear & raspberry friand.

After this I felt sufficiently recovered to travel further, though this only entailed texting the guy who runs the Bug Backpackers to come and collect me! Yes he is the nicest man alive!!!

Anthony and Steph (and baby Luke) run the Bug, which is my favourite hostel in NZ so far, and possibly my favourite hostel ever stayed in (though that place in Stockholm was pretty canny). It has VW bugs EVERYWHERE. And VW vans, and VW salt and pepper shakers, and VW egg holders.... oh my. Georgina would love love LOVE it. I really did – Cat and Tess are lucky girls to be staying there for half of their elective!

We just chilled out on Thursday night – went to the supermarket to get dinner ingredients, and I bumped into Pink-Haired Mum which was an emotional reunion. I cooked up a huge chilli because I've heard that food in Franz Josef is really expensive, and so I thought I might as well make a giant chilli and live off it until sick of it. Despite limited ingredients (I forgot dark chocolate, which I normally put in, and the chilli peppers themselves were feeble to say the least) we made it fairly tasty and had huge plates of it with rice and salad. And WINE! :D

After a lovely catch-up with the girls it was time for a Skype home to see how everyone was getting on, including Goldilocks(!!!), then bed time! I slept incredibly well mainly because I was so knackered after a good day's travelling...

Friday

I arose at about 8.30 – lie-in! BOOM – and ambled into the kitchen. This was small, warm and cosy and there was a loaf of fresh-baked bread on the counter with a note saying “Help yourselves!” I got a little emotional at this – not because of the prohibited tasty gluten, but because it was all so homely and warm that it reminded me of being home at Christmas, but as though my whole family had popped out somewhere for a bit. (That's the sign of a REALLY good hostel – I heartily recommend this one!) There was also a large dog pawing excitedly at the door outside. I took a chance, assuming he lived at the hostel, and let him in, whereupon we became fast friends, especially when he realised I was having breakfast and there might be food in the offing for him. Alas he got the treatment that Luna normally gets, though I did let him have a tiny bit of kiwi fruit.

After my breakfast and cuppa Earl Grey, I got dressed and headed into town for an explore – via the coffee shop which Anna had recommended. My god am I grateful to her; the place was fantastic. Cappuccino nearly blew my head off.

Mmmmmm. It was a glorious sunny day and I contentedly sipped my coffee outside whilst reading a sentimental story in NZ Marie Claire about a deaf woman who decided to get a cochlear implant – after managing with hearing aids all her life - because she wanted to hear her baby laugh.....

With slightly watering eyes which I blamed on the sunshine, I ventured further into Nelson for a quick look at the museum and Anzac Park,

before heading back to the hostel to be picked up for the wine tour!!! Tess came with me and was brilliant company as we slurped our way through the region's finest wines.... mmmmmmmm. I much preferred these wines to the ones in Hawke's Bay/Napier – mainly because the whites were more what I'd expect a Sauvignon Blanc to be – all aromatic and gooseberry-ish. The reds were all still a bit too sharp and oaky for my taste. We had lunch at the second vineyard – a huge platter of yummyness with gf bread :)

We visited 5 vineyards in all – all family-run and with genuinely nice people selling the wine. Our guide was really knowledgeable too, and I probably learnt a fair bit about wine. Though I have now forgotten it BECAUSE of the wine...oops.

Upon return to the hostel I was incredibly “tired” and went for a wee lie-down before we went out for dinner. A group of us from the hostel went to the Vic for some good pub grub, where we met Paul who is another Newcastle medic who's just finished his first half of elective in Christchurch! We then headed to the Sprig and Fern for some amazing mulled cider and some banter with the locals.

After getting home and stressedly packing, I said goodnight to Cat and Tess then got my head down for more fitful sleep (I sleep really badly when there is something I could potentially miss in the morning, eek. e.g. exams, buses, trains, planes).

Saturday

Arose early to get my stuff together and gulp down some breakfast and a cuppa tea, before Anthony kindly gave me a lift into town to catch my 7.15 bus. (I told you he was the nicest man alive.)

As soon as the bus doors closed, the cup of tea bypassed my entire digestive and renal system to appear in my bladder, where it sat complaining for 2 hours. I was VERY glad to arrive in Murchison for a comfort break....

We next stopped at Pancake Rocks in Punakaiki. These are some cool geological rock formations that are stacked up like pancakes – not sure how, indeed no-one really knows. Unsurprisingly, they reminded me of pancakes and, also unsurprisingly, made me hungry, but I just grabbed a coffee before getting back on the bus.

Swapped to a bigger bus in Greymouth (bit of a dump, depressing-looking place though that might just have been the rain...)

Now getting peckish, think will have cheese and apple.

Later – at Glowworm Cottages!

Hello! At hostel now – it wasn't too much further from Greymouth, and we stopped in Hokitika. This was another rather dead-looking place (I think most of the South Island might be in the winter, actually) but is famous for its pounamu – NZ greenstone, or jade. I'm probably going to get me a necklace but am still umming and aahing about which shape to get. There are different shapes and they all mean different things...

I don't think I'll ever find another hostel as nice as the Bug, but this one isn't too bad - it has a wood fire and is rather cosy. Currently sitting next to the stove roasting myself. Going to have my chilli shortly, and then head to a bar somewhere to get free wifi so I can reassure you all that I'm alive. There is no phone reception to be had here! Maybe in Queenstown....

Oh. Just turned my phone on and off, turns out the little bugger's been holding out on me!!!! There is reception! But no texts...nobody loves me.... :(

Tomorrow I am going on a full-day glacier hike at 8.15 for 8hrs. Not really sure what I've let myself in for, but I keep telling myself I get to go in the Glacier Hot Pools afterwards (included in hike price.) That will make it all worthwhile.

xxx