… Abel Tasman, that is. He is a rather celebrated person being the first European to find many of these places; he has his own sea and also gives his name to the Abel Tasman National Park. It was to here that we headed as our first stop in the north of the South Island.
We left underwhelming Wellington on a typically blustery and cloudy day, boarding the InterIslander ferry. The crossing takes three hours, but you don’t actually go south at all! Instead you head across the Cook Strait, and then into Marlborough Sound and cruise gently into Picton on South Island, actually north of Wellington. For the first couple of hours I took the kids off to a film (where we enjoyed the smells and sounds of a kid throwing up spectacularly), while Joe took in the view. We made a dash for the outside however when the captain announced “ladies and gentlemen, there is a whale off to starboard.” We didn’t see it, but just knowing it was there was a thrill – especially when only 18 were spotted in the Strait in the whole of 2006.
Shortly after, the ferry slowed down to enter the Sound. Now we saw why this has been described as one of the great ferry crossings of the world! Either side of the narrow channel were spectacular, forested islands, deserted except for the odd very remote (and sick making) home with yacht. Peaks rose straight from the water, with deep inlets full of crystal blue waters. It was simply beautiful. This magnificent landscape continued all the way into Picton, where the sun was shining and high clouds scudded along. The journey lifted our spirits enormously, and the drive across to Nelson made them soar. Queen Charlotte’s Drive is narrow, bending and long, but who cares when every bend reveals a new azure cove, or spit of tree-hugged land, for miles and miles on end? It was glorious – unspoilt, natural beauty. It continued in exactly this way right down to Nelson, where the land flattened out, but still had its own wild appeal, with long, empty beaches and spits you drove across. After a few hours we began the long and winding road up and over Takaka Hill. Here was another Tolkien location, where Pippin and Merry wonder whether Aragorn knows about second breakfasts. But we pressed on – it was a long driving day. Again the views were immense as we crossed the hill. Suddenly before was the Abel Tasman coast and Golden Bay. Mountains form the backdrop, glorious rolling green valleys make up the middle, down to a coastline straight out of a holiday brochure. We were so happy to be happy again, to be loving it! We had a popular campsite to stay in right on Pohara beach (like, 20 steps to the sand) where the kids soon joined a whole gaggle, climbing trees and linking Tamagotchis. The sun was hot, the beach beautiful. Great restaurants in walking distance. Warning road signs for rare penguins that cross the roads at night. Wireless internet! Heaven.
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