Tossin' bales with Mike and Ali gave us a great opportunity to get to know these wonderful people better, so when our workshop ended and we felt kinda lost, we all decided that it would be a great idea to go on a backpacking trip. First, though, we did some serious relaxation. The construction work was physically demanding and being wall captains on the final weekend was mentally challenging, as well. We celebrated our success with a cookout on the beach featuring freshly harvested cockles (small clams) and New Zealand's famous green-lipped mussels. The following week, Michiel and I did our own mussel harvesting in terrifically rich hunting grounds!
The Anatoki River Hike - a long but not difficult hike through a river valley and then up onto a ridge, to descend, finally, into farmland.
Our hut - night 2
From the ridge
Looking down into the valley from Kill Devil Hill
After the 3 day backpacking trip, Michiel and I went out to Abel Tasman National Park for camping and a day hike. The beach sand was the most amazing color orange and the sunsets were stupendous...but, alas, the sandflies are so horrific that it's nearly impossible to stay still for too long. In fact, I will sheepishly admit that we spent both evenings reading in the car...I know, I know.....how lame! But have YOU ever experienced sandfly bites??! They itch for weeks...really.
The beach at Totaranui
Wainui Bay - Abel Tasman
We had a good hike, all the same but were quite keen to retreat back to our little bungalow in Collingwood and a day hike out at Cape Farewell.
Panorama at Cape Farewell
The motherlode!
Michiel works our bounty into a green curry mussel stew. Not all of the mussels were as big as his hand, but this one was!
The view from Collingwood
Sigh...the area is so beautiful, the beaches are gorgeous, the people are so laid back, friendly and liberal and the mussels are just there for the taking...If Golden Bay weren't so far away, we'd move there in a second.
The Anatoki River Hike - a long but not difficult hike through a river valley and then up onto a ridge, to descend, finally, into farmland.
Our hut - night 2
From the ridge
Looking down into the valley from Kill Devil Hill
After the 3 day backpacking trip, Michiel and I went out to Abel Tasman National Park for camping and a day hike. The beach sand was the most amazing color orange and the sunsets were stupendous...but, alas, the sandflies are so horrific that it's nearly impossible to stay still for too long. In fact, I will sheepishly admit that we spent both evenings reading in the car...I know, I know.....how lame! But have YOU ever experienced sandfly bites??! They itch for weeks...really.
The beach at Totaranui
Wainui Bay - Abel Tasman
We had a good hike, all the same but were quite keen to retreat back to our little bungalow in Collingwood and a day hike out at Cape Farewell.
Panorama at Cape Farewell
The motherlode!
Michiel works our bounty into a green curry mussel stew. Not all of the mussels were as big as his hand, but this one was!
The view from Collingwood
Sigh...the area is so beautiful, the beaches are gorgeous, the people are so laid back, friendly and liberal and the mussels are just there for the taking...If Golden Bay weren't so far away, we'd move there in a second.
1 comment:
I almost rented a house in Collingwood way back in '99 for the same reason. Sadly, money was too tight, even though now the idea of living for a month in Collingwood for US$400 is truly tempting...
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