29th October – Kawatiri to McKee Reserve

After so many days of rain recently, we were planning to head to Picton and get the ferry to the north island but today was so sunny and pretty that we just had to go to Abel Tasman national park.

Now I am sure that you are all tiring of me saying that the landscape and views were incredible but they were. Every single day we have been in New Zealand we have seen something spectacular. Sometimes I have found it hard to write the blog simply because I can’t wrench my eyes away from the beauty of what is outside my window.

Yesterday we followed the coast, looking past enigmatic cliff formations into the haze cast by unsettled seas striking stubborn towers of rock that had broken from the land and were dispersed far from the shore, We followed windy roads between ocean and rainforest and saw whisps of clouds lingering amongst the dark hills, suspended in vertical trails or wrapped cozily around smaller peaks.

Today, what we can see is much closer to the UK at the height of summer. Many more trees I can recognise but not name and even more I wish I could see more often. The umpteen greens I’m becoming accustomed to but with some now being totally overwhelmed by flushes of red, orange, yellow and pink. It’s like the Wizard f Oz where everything turns Technicolor.

There are rivers winding around valleys and segments of the land given over to growing kiwis, oranges, pears, asparagus and apples. There are hills of corrugated slopes, hills of evergreens and hills of scrubland set against mountains of snow. And the sunshine, tripping though it all and bouncing off rock, water and leaf, makes all the colours far more intense.

We stopped briefly in the town of Motueka and roundabouts to pick up bags of fruit from little stalls with honesty boxes. We bought golden kiwis, pears, tangelos and saw kumara, asparagus and more that we didn't spot in time to stop

We took the windy road to Marahau, which is at the end of the road in Abel Tasmin National Park and has a lovely beach where groups of kayakers start their voyages deeper into the park. We sat around for a while, enjoying the view and then went to the information centre to find out about walks. Even the walks involved catching water taxis or kayaking and we considered our options before deciding that it would be too expensive considering our recent splurges and that maybe we’d just find a nice campsite and chill out in the sunshine for a change

Heading back to Motueka, we stopped at the Monkey Wizard brewery and had a taster of some local beers before purchasing a couple for our day of proper camping. The lady who owned it was sulking because she wanted to spend the day paddling in her kayak in the sea opposite her house. I had to suppress a giggle when she complained that she didn’t get away so much because she had to make use of her home pool and spa. My heart bled.

In Motueka we paid a visit to the very informative I-site office where we found out that the next few days were due to be glorious. The lady told us about some nice walks and campsite and gave us some more information about different kayaking options so we decided to hang around for a few more days.

Matt had been complaining about his size 16s falling down already and we found some men’s Columbia walking trousers for a bargain $5. We also spotted a book on bushcraft for him and another one on grammar (not quite so adventurous) for me and so we were set for a good few days of proper camping.

McKee Reserve was unlike any $6pp campsite we've been to so far. Sandwiched between ‘bush’ and the huge blue expanse of Tasman Bay, it had several blocks of actual flushing toilets, cold showers, lots of water points, BBQ ovens and a conspicuous lack of the little blighters that have not only plagued our waking hours but also kept us at night tearing at our flesh – the dreaded sandfly.

I went for an explore and got chatting to a lovely, positive local couple called Helen and Ken, who had an impressive camping set-up and were busy cooking up a whole leg of lamb over the open fire.

Helen made adorable fur-lined slippers that she sold at local markets. They had both worked together until business had slacked off and Ken had to get a job. Ken worked in mental health and was full of praise for the financing and execution of the provision of services. He supported men in sheltered accommodation and it was really interesting to hear about his work and how different it sounded from the stories I've heard at home.

Also hanging around nearby was a slightly odd but interesting fella called Phil, who lived in his car at the site. He liked to park in the shade ‘to keep the chilly bin cold’ and so was permanently tucked away in the trees rather than out on the pitches. 

When I wandered back along the beach to our camp, Matt was still absorbed in his bushcraft book but insisting on pancakes so I got to work. I hate eating pancakes but love making them so he was already feeling queasy when I got overexcited and moved onto making them ‘American-style’ with a strawberry and pear syrup.

When I took some to our neighbours, they had a big pot of delicious veggies roasting in the pot and so I handed them over and cleared off to cook up some noodles before I got too envious. Matt was still stuck in his book and not feeling too sociable though so I went over later to spend the evening sitting by the fire and chatting to Ken and Helen. We had a good giggle pretending that I’d actually made Matt up and talking about how they’d met at a funeral (!).