There's no such thing as too much ice-cream

Right. Nuff said. Especially real fruit ice-cream. Something that is unfortunately (or luckily?) only found in NZ. Best in the world. I must have tons of it. Each day, every day. All day long. Can't stop, won't stop. Found a place called Berryland just outside Nelson on SH60 towards Motueka. Wonderful. And they had tons of fresh berries and cherries, too.

Having finished the Nydia Track, we picked up our car in Havelock and had lunch at the Slip Inn Cafe, which is, I hate to report, only average. And overpriced. Not outright bad, but just average. But very friendly service and a great location on the marina. I'd managed to find a bed for us in a B&B in Motueka last minute, just a brief stopover to shower, fill up on food and water before we hopped onto the earliest water taxi in Marahau this morning. Again, hate to say it, but the Hooked Cafe in Marahau is only average, too. But the sandwiches /rolls looked really fresh and great, didn't try them though. We got dropped off at Anchorage Bay and walked the 25km high tide route to Awaroa Bay. I'm sure you know the feeling, sometimes you think all those postcards and pictures in brochures and guide books are all photoshopped to look as great as they do. And then you walk the Abel Tasman Track and you think, fuck me, it's real. Beautiful views of the coast and the beaches and the cliffs all day long, all those colours so intense and abundant. Green, blue, turquoise, gold, white. You have to focus hard to stay on the track and not fall over.

It was a nice leg-stretcher to Awaroa Lodge, 25km sounds like a lot, but the track is well formed, mostly level, crossing a couple of tiny ridges only. So very easy walking really, allowing you to take in the surroundings. The Lodge itself is a decadent piece of luxury in the middle of the National Park, two nights stay were made possible thanks to my rewards nights. 😁 They have a nice cafe, too, and a fancy restaurant. We chose to carry in our food, so we will only have to raid the cafe and not break the bank in the restaurant. The whole area is beautiful, a few meters to a vast, golden beach, and rooms spread out over the grounds, lots of privacy. And, they must have read my last post, they do have fucking flyscreens. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Which is bloody important given the amount of mozzies and sandflies, too. So, after a nice afternoon walk on the beach, we will dine on hummus and thinbread and tomorrow at 8.30 it's out on the water for four hours of kayaking. I've finally managed to convince the Reisebegleitung and she'll give it a try. Love this!

Peace, love, and harmony.

Ceterum censeo, Germaniam delendam esse.

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