Nelson to Hokitika

Upon waking in Nelson, we explored Tahuna Beach, which our campsite was named for. But after deciding we’d been terribly spoiled by the gorgeous soft-sand turquoise water beaches of the North Island, we turned our backs to Tahuna and wandered into town to see what Nelson had to offer in hopes of finding a more lively city center than the previous evening (apparently no one leaves home on a Sunday in Nelson). True to its reputation, Nelson was lovely-chock full of cozy cafes and one-of-a-kind shops, such as the kitschy second-hand bookshop, Litter Arty, whose vast collection I spent nearly our entire allotted parking time browsing.

Having drastically modified our South Island driving route the previous evening, we were eager to get back on the open road. Ultimately we decided we had bitten off more than Leland could chew. The South Island is simply too big for a week’s time, given the lack of roads and long distances through mountainous terrain between destinations. So our new plan had us driving to Hokitika on the West Coast via Greymouth (which was very grey indeed). The following evening would have us back in Hot Springs country Hanmer Springs, just North of Christchurch via Arthur’s Pass, the winding mountainous trek through the Southern Alps, followed by a stay in the Marine mammal (dolphins, seals, crayfish oh my!) capital Kaikoura, and finally down to the Francophile Akaroa on the picturesque Banks Peninsula. Of course it was disappointing to forgo the scenic Southern half of the South Island, but lucky us, we’ve got a year left to skydive and bungee jump and climb glaciers.

This morning we ventured into Hokitika city center which is dominated by its jade and bone carving shops. In the back of the shops we could see the carvers at work, which was reassuring given the warning we received about jade imported from Cambodia. Somehow I managed to escape the lure of the greenstone, but Jamie was not so lucky. He settled on one of the “hook” carvings to symbolize how the ancient Maori demigod pulled the North Island from the ocean while stabilizing himself on Kaikoura’s coast.

Oops gotta go! Seems we’re being pulled over by the Rangiora police…