Most of the campsites I've stayed in have been great. All slightly different and some very quirky. On the night before I had to pick Jill and Keith up from Blenheim airport I pulled in to a campground at Seddon to see what they had there. I was greeted by Tony who lived in a campervan on the site. There was another mobile home and a couple of tents. It cost $12 (£6). I chatted to a German guy who was my neighbour and we nodded to a Japanese couple who were cycling. It was a windy night but where I'd camped was quite sheltered. I'd been warned by Tony that the other mobile home had a motorbike owner who left early. At 5am the motorbike spluttered to life and eventually left about 5 minutes later. I was just dropping off again when I could hear '123' yelled over and over again. Boot camp in the next door field. I gave up at 6.45 and got up. Jill and Keith's flight wasn't due in until 7pm and Blenheim was all of 30 minutes away!! As there was nobody there to make sure I checked out at 10am I walked into town (took 5 mins) sat in the nice warm kitchen and read and had several cups of tea and coffee and left about 11.30. In Blenheim I bought a new wheeled bag and in the car park swapped everything over from the huge case that Wendy and David had kindly given me but which was proving rather large and awkward to handle.
I also went to see 'Saving Mr Banks' the film about the author of Mary Poppins.
I then spent 4 nights in one place at Jill and Keith's. Luxury! The second road trip started in Nelson as we went to see 'opera in the park' which was more 'music in the park' but there were a few operatic songs.
I also met up with Diane Sunley who used to teach piano and keyboard on the Isle of Wight. We had a lovely Thai meal in Tahananui. I walked there and Diane drove me back to the campsite. The following morning I met Eve, a friend of Tina's from her Hong Kong days and we chatted away for an hour and a half even though we'd not met before. It's great that you can meet complete strangers and feel like you've been friends forever but you will probably never meet again!
The weather was really hotting up and I had some serious beach hunting to do. I'd swum on the day of opera in the park and I was now heading up to Golden Bay. The campsite was right on the beach and for 2 days I'd take my breakfast onto the beach and watch the sun rise. I had to walk about 50 paces to get there. The first evening was ideal for a swim but the second day the wind had got up.
I won't miss the wind, it was windy in Australia too but one New Zealander when I said "it's windy outside" said "you think that's windy??"
It's blowing outside as I write now and I'm so glad I'm not in a tent tonight.
At Golden Bay I went on the Farewell spit tour onto the sandy peninsula and out to the lighthouse. A great trip. I drove to the beach at Wharariki the following day. Sand dunes and rocks and seals and blue sea and sky. A 20 minute walk to get there from the car park and then 40 minutes to get back because you can't find the track amongst the sand dunes and as it is windy your footprints are blown away pretty quickly. I watched some people coming off the dunes onto the beach and headed in their direction and got back to the car. There was an amazing cafe hidden amongst the trees with a caravan selling teas and coffee and cakes.
Then 2 nights in Kaiteriteri on the edge of the Abel Tasman national park. Again the campsite was over the road from the beach. I got a water taxi up to Torrent Bay. 45 minutes on a bumpy jet boat. Luckily it was a bigger boat on the way back. I walked part of the Abel Tasman track and was picked up from Medlands beach. I was only one of two people brave enough to go in the water. Firstly there were boats coming in and out of the beach and I didn't want to be mown down and secondly it was cold!! We were being picked up at 3pm and I'd got there at 1.30 and eaten my packed lunch, so after my swim you'd think, sunbathe and relax on the beach. NO!!! Bloody wind again!! Sand blowing everywhere. I tried to hide but there really was nowhere to hide or shelter from the wind. Being marooned on a desert island has definitely lost its appeal.
And so back to tonight, in a lovely little cabin at Mapua. For £30 I get a double bed, use my own sleeping bag but pillows provided. Cutlery and crockery, washing up bowl, tea towel etc and wait for it........ my own waste paper bin!!
When I get to Christchurch in a couple of days time I've really gone upmarket and have booked an ensuite cabin with bedding and towels provided. All for $76 a night. That's approx £37. Ok, camping in a tent only costs between £6-12.50. Queenstown was the expensive one, but I treat myself every few nights.
I am so looking forward to getting home and sleeping in my own bed and not having to leave every couple of days!!
