Wo Zwerge in Fässern flüchten und man alte Bekannte wiedertrifft

As already announced, I stayed in Picton for a few more days and enjoyed the festival. Even though there was no fireworks because of heavy rain, there was free face painting, which could also be extended to so-called adults. So a group of international young adults sat on the beach with different but eye-catching face paint and enjoyed the day. The fact that one of us still had reception duty with a rainbow leopard on her face afterwards was relatively irrelevant. Some guests seemed surprised later at the hostel, but they had to endure it and everyone else always had something to laugh about with their perplexed looks. At the festival, I also met two girls from Germany that I already knew. I knew they were somewhere in the country, but not where, and suddenly we stumbled upon each other. After a long exchange about our previous travels, we had to say goodbye again. The next day, after doing laundry and cursing the rain, I received a message from one of the ladies I met on the flight here, who happened to come to Picton today. So I left the laundry and went for coffee. Even though you often only meet people here for a few days and even though there are so many, people often stick in your memory and you recognize them immediately in other places. And that is one of the most beautiful experiences you can have while traveling.

Even though you often have to say goodbye to people, like I did the next morning when I left the hostel with still wet clothes and made my way to Pelorus Bridge. On the outskirts of Picton (which I reached after 10 minutes. Yes, Picton is really gigantic.) After a while of bad luck and no one giving me a ride, a young German eventually joined me and we hitchhiked together. And shortly after, a Spaniard who had been traveling for three years stopped and picked us up. The German got off at Anakiwa along the way, and I safely made it to Pelorus Bridge, where I gave my friendly driver some money for gas and then looked for the campground. After that was settled, I stumbled upon another acquaintance. An American from Picton who was also hitchhiking and whose (German) driver happened to take a break here. So we chatted for half an hour until they had to continue. I dragged my stuff to the campsite, set up my hobbit hole and then went on a little hike along the Pelorus River, which looks exactly like it does in the second Hobbit movie. The hiking trail was impressive and easy to walk, and once again, it was part of the Te Araroa. Then I went to bed again, after a rich dinner (cup soup).

The next day, I set out to do a longer hike to a viewpoint and then back to the camp, passing two waterfalls along the way. At the beginning, the trail was still good, but the higher I went, the more difficult it became, until I was climbing over roots. But eventually, I reached the top and had a good view over the river valley. Then I went back down and even though I didn't have to go back the same way, I still had to climb down over tree roots and balance on a tree trunk once, because the path was full of bushes and fallen branches. Somehow I reached waterfall 1, which I could hardly see, and stumbled on to waterfall 2, which was better visible but smaller. Then I walked to the café by the road and got myself some fish and chips and then did nothing for the rest of the day.

The next day, after a morning conversation with an elderly couple, I headed towards Nelson. I didn't have to wait long and was picked up by a staff member of the Warehouse who had to go to Warehouse Nelson. Once we arrived (all I remember from the drive is that my driver had a great love for speed and a great hatred for slow vehicles on winding roads), it wasn't far to the YHA, which was full, so I booked a bed in the dormitory for the following days. Then I went to the camping site in Nelson, which is right next to the hospital. I almost needed it, as the way was quite far. There, I set up my tent next to the tent of two older British people and went back to the city for grocery shopping. I got myself a pizza (with free garlic bread because they forgot mine), walked back, had dinner and then went to bed again. So I saw relatively little of Nelson itself.

One night later, I walked back to the hostel, looking so pathetic that someone offered me a ride to the city center, which I gratefully declined (I don't know why? Too proud, I guess.) There, I left my things because the rooms weren't ready yet and went back to the city. Now I saw more of Nelson for the first time and understood why it is known as an artist city. There are craft shops everywhere, especially noticeable is the Bead Gallery, where you can find beads of all kinds. So I bought some souvenirs, and I decided to definitely send a package home. I also took a short detour to the beautiful Queens Garden, together with my conquests, and then moved into room 1 in the hostel. Then I went shopping again because I hadn't gotten everything the day before (less to carry). And then I fell into bed.

I don't even count my hostel acquaintances anymore, there are simply too many. The next day, I met acquaintances again, this time the couple that I had made happy in Blenheim. After a short conversation, I walked through the city center until I reached the beginning of the path to the center of New Zealand. As the name suggests, it is the geographic center of New Zealand, coincidentally located at the top of a hill that you have to climb in the face of your own sweat. After I reached the top with a few other tourists who had groaned almost as much as me, I had an impressive view over Nelson and the surrounding area. Whether it was the center of New Zealand or not, the view was definitely worth it. On the way back, I chose a longer, shadier path and eventually made it back down. Then I went back to the hostel and asked about jobs. I was referred to the notice board, which, apart from an ad for harbor work, turned out to be quite empty. A call to the harbor revealed that they didn't need anyone at the moment. Again. So I went to bed that evening with money worries.

My next days consisted of packing and shipping packages (costing $88) and visiting the Nelson Provincial Museum, which creatively reflects the area's history. My favorite part was the exhibition about a murder that caused a stir in Nelson's early days and had a bit of a Wild West feeling. Otherwise, this day was not much different from the next two, except for some planning.

However, two days later, I took a full-day (and expensive) trip to Abel Tasman National Park. In the morning, the bus left the hostel at 7 a.m. for Marahau, where I did a kayaking tour in double kayaks with two Frenchmen and a guide. The weather was good, the group was good, and we also took a tour around the strict nature reserve of Adele Island. There, we had a relaxed lunch break behind some rocks that we had to drag the kayaks behind, with the water almost up to my waist. After that, we also saw a few seals, including babies, and then we returned to the mainland, where the two Frenchmen hopped back into the boat after a short briefing and paddled back along the coastline. In the meantime, I set off because I was supposed to hike the 11 km of coastline back. After a steep climb that could only be done with hiking poles, it was mostly flat. I can understand why the Abel Tasman Coastal Track is so popular, it is beautiful and easy to walk, but that is also its problem. Many hikers were unfriendly or inattentive and ignorant, which can thoroughly ruin the fun of hiking. So despite the beautiful views, I hurried to finish quickly and take the bus back. Too tired to do more, I went to bed after dinner. Today is planning and laundry day, and tomorrow I will continue along the West Coast.

PS: More pictures will follow.