Nelson... city of sun (just not today)

The bus ride to Nelson today was great - short, but passing by the Pelorus Sound and Havelock, with a stop-off at a lagoon-type area at Pelorus Bridge which would have been great to swim in if we'd had time.

Nelson (the sunniest place in NZ apparently, but failing at that today) is colourful, a wee bit alternative, and has a bit more soul than Christchurch - a bit more life and culture, i think. Anthony, the English owner of the VW Bug-themed Bug Backpackers, where I'm staying tonight, picks me up from the bus station, which is a relief since the hostel is 20minute walk (in today's muggy weather) from town. The hostel is nice, quite large and clean, spread over two buildings. There is fresh bread in the morning and, if Anthony's girlfriend feels like it, fresh-baked scones or muffins in the evening - it was nice Surprise the first night when Anthony came round to the slide-glass door of my 6-share dorm at 8pm with a plate of blueberry muffins! The hostel when I arrive seems to be full of German travellers - my entire dorm, and everyone I pass by, seems to speaking German. At times, it feels like I'm actually in Germany, before I leave the building and speak to Kiwi shopkeepers!

One of my roommates, Lisa, also from Germany, hears about my planned two-day hike on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, with an overnight stop on the Aquapackers backpacker boat in Anchorage Bay, and decides to do the same, on the same two days, so looks like we'll be walking together.

written by

LizIsHere on February 16, 2010 from Nelson, New Zealand

from the travel blog: New Zealand & Australia 2010

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