As I said, Nelson really is beautiful. I took the opportunity, whilst being in a moderate sized town, to get a few tasks on my list complteted. Like I got the car alarm installed. It was nicely tested the very next day when (as happens every morning at about 6:00 at Tahuna Holiday Camp) the first aircraft landed at the airport next door. Yup, the car has 'motion detection' as one of the features of the alarm. And well, it was still dark at the time the aircraft flew overhead and it took me an extremely long time to locate the tiny tiny button on my key ring which disables the alarm. Just as well that was the morning of my departure!

Golden Bay was the destination, the first region of New Zealand that I've never actuallly been to, so I got out my trusty map and I was away. Almost everyone I know either grew up on a commune in Golden Bay or visited the place regularly as kids with their family. So I've had no worries gaining the inside info on where to go and what to do.

I got all dressed up and took myself out to the wholemeal cafe in Takaka on my first night here. I quite like going out to cafe's by myself, but for some reason this time I felt quite self-conscious. I think it was because it was having an 'evening meal' (or it could have been because I'd got changed.. this is Takaka after all..). Yummy it was too.

Then, referring to the email lovingly sent to my by Zita, I started my days activities. I drove over to Totaranui and went for a run along part of the Able Tasman Coastal track to a wee beach up the coast... then I zoomed around to Collingwood to have a toasted sandwich in the tearooms there (perversely ignoring Zita's recommendation of the cool converted courthouse cafe). Then it was up to farewell spit for a very long and quite isolated (euphemism for lonely) walk along the dunes, followed by a trip to the famous Whakariki Beach. I finally made it to the camp site at Tukurua beach (it is "the joyce family golden bay campsite of choice") which is where I write this.

Tomorrow I'm off to Picton to get what sleep I can before my 5:30am sailing to the big smoke. Watch out wellington, it's a new improved version of Chris coming your way (whatever!)

Righto!

Chris