Experiencing the Other Hemisphere's Wine Country

While most of our backpacking group headed back to Wellington after we finished the great walk, two other girls and I opted to stay for a few extra days to explore the northern region of the south island. After staying in a hostel for the first night, we went back to our familiar lifestyle of tenting, cooking with our camping stove in public parks, and finding the cheapest activities to do. Yet, we actually felt a bit spoiled having so much room in our tent and car, and we lucked out with great weather for most of the time. Also, after living wine country back in California for 20 years but never being able to really take advantage of living there, it was pretty fun to embrace wine culture :)

The sign we were greeted with upon arriving to the on the day after our backpacking trip. Even little things like this show just how sweet and personable everyone in New Zealand is. 

After a MUCH NEEDED shower (it had officially been six days of sweating and sleeping in tents since my last shower), we took advantage of having an actual kitchen in the hostel to cook this lovely meal of couscous, spinach, carrots, kumara, and capsicum. 

A cool map in hostel where guests can mark where they're from.

After finally showering and sleeping in a bed the night before, we were ready for our day of wine tasting!

Some photos from our day in wine country. I grew up in wine country in California, so this area reminded me a lot of home.

Wine tasting! This platter pictured are tastings #8-14 of the 30 total wines we tried across six different wineries. The entire day cost us only $7 :)

After waking up to some of the strongest winds we've experienced while camping and our rainfly nearly torn off our tent, we drove to this beautiful park a bit inland to cook breakfast.

The following day, we headed east to Nelson. Despite holding the record for having the most days of sunshine in New Zealand, the weather in Nelson was a bit cloudy. Regardless, we ended up having a fun time exploring the town and doing some walks in the area.

Nelson is also known for being the official center of New Zealand.  

Views from the monument for the Centre of New Zealand. These photos do an especially good job of showing how similar Nelson was to Wellington.

We followed the track that went up to the Centre of New Zealand back down the other side of the hill to end at New Zealand's first certified brewery, and sampled some beers. 

The following day, we headed back to Picton, where we would be taking the ferry back to Wellington.  

Some photos from our walk in Picton, overlooking the Queen Charlotte Sound. Though we had planned to do a full day walk along the famous Queen Charlotte Track, we opted to do a shorter walk due to the rainy weather. It's amazing how even short, impromptu walks like this one provide such spectacular views.

Abel Tasman

In the New Zealand uni system, we get a weeklong "study break" before the final exams start. Of course, I used this opportunity not to study, but to do a bit of travelling. (Don't worry Mom and Dad, my first exam isn't until November 5th so I still have some time to study before then). During the first half of our trip around the top of the south island, a group of eight of us did the Abel Tasman Coastal Track. This was the second of New Zealand's nine "Great Walks" that I've done. I know I speak in superlatives a lot, but I can honestly say that the four days spent doing this walk may have been the best four days of my time in New Zealand thus far.

After arriving to the south island, we went on a search for somewhere to pitch our tent for the night before our walk because we didn't have a campsite. We happened this plot of land for sale out of sight from the main road. The views of the sunset to the west and of the Tasman Bay to the east were on par with, if not  better than any actual campsite we've stayed at.

Glimpses of the beautiful Tasman Bay through the trees during our first day of walking.

From a lookout point near our first campsite. 

Setting off on our second morning. At first we were all excited to actually be hiking ON the beach, though by the end of the walk we couldn't help but complain about how much effort it takes to hike in the sand.

Cascade Falls, one of the side trips off the main Abel Tasman track. I'm continually appreciative at the lack of safety barriers put up in New Zealand, allowing for photos like these.

Trying to shove as much pasta as possible into our little camping pot.

The parts of the track along the beach and coastal bluffs were balanced with lush, green bush walking that seemed like something from a tropical jungle.

During the third day of the walk, we happened upon Awaroa Lodge and stopped for some lunch and drinks. This plush hotel/restaurant was so out of place in our experience of sleeping in tents, cooking on our backpacking stove, etc. that we later joked that it was like a mirage.

One of NZ's famous giant wetas giving birth.

The tidal crossing. This part of the walk could only be done within a 2-3 hour window each day because it went through an area normally covered with several feet of water. This entailed taking off our socks and shoes and trudging across the wet sand, through sea shells, snails, and abandoned boats for about an hour. Definitely one of the strangest things I've ever done during a hike.

Enjoying the beach :)

The water in Abel Tasman was some of the clearest I've ever seen.

Little jellies that scattered the beaches.

An unplanned group nap on the beach during our lunch break because we were all so exhausted on the last day.

Coming over the final hill we had to climb.

At the end of the walk, we were greeted with one of the coolest/most unique beaches I've seen.

MUCH deserved dinner out after finishing the walk!