South Island Part 2

DAY FOUR: We left Nelson this morning and headed over to the Abel Tasman region. After stopping along a look out points we reached the kayak company we would rent from the next day. We were going to kayak the Abel Tasman. The sun set on the beach was absolutely gorgeous. We talked to a local and found out about a “free” camp ground, near a historic cemetery. We ate dinner in a field and watched cows graze. It was a peaceful night, we went to a “jam night” at a local pub, but nothing was really happening so we went back to the campground and slept.
DAY FIVE: We got up and headed over to the kayak center. Here Zach and I, as well as Boris and Travis, would kayak the Abel Tasman for the next 7 hours. We saw bird colonies, where I almost got crapped on, seal colonies and gorgeous beaches. We swam in the ocean that afternoon. It’s crazy to think that at night it can be insanely cold even with a jacket and sweatshirt on, and then midday you can swim in the ocean. Watching the seals swim was fantastic. They have a great life, swimming, sleeping, sun bathing, and swimming away from sharks. The sunset was epic. We had a fire and ate spaghetti that evening. The stars were stunning.
DAY SIX: The car is an awful place to sleep. I would much rather sleep in the tent. I woke up around 8:30 and took my daily walk to take in the sights. We ate breakfast and headed out. Today would be a driving day. We have to get from Takaka to Punakaiki, where we can see the pancake rocks. Boris drove for three hours and then we stopped at a lake to hike and eat lunch. The landscape reminded me of upstate New York. The birds are fascinating to listen to, their songs are like ice cream in my belly. I drove for the next 3 hours and we got to another beach to watch the sun set. I did a bit of writing and filming. The dudes stayed in a hostel while I slept in the car, my money is getting pretty tight. The sound of waves crashing is great to wake up too. DAY SEVEN: Today we see the pancake rocks and Monteith’s Brewery. Hope you’re all enjoying my trip. Jeremy, we’re going to see C.O.B. on June 26th, looking forward to seeing you dude.