Back to the basics

As announced in the last blog post, on Sunday morning, we set off with Hauke to Abel Tasman National Park, located in the northwest of the South Island.

However, not without adequate preparation for the planned 'Great Walk', the 'Abel Tasman Coast Track'. On our checklist was not only planning the route and reserving the huts along the way, but also a thorough shopping spree on Saturday. (as there were no shops, cafes, etc. along the way)

Not an easy task, as what do you take on a 4-day hike? The menu was definitely limited. Elaborate dishes were simply impossible due to the lack of a stove or electricity in general. Therefore, the shopping cart was mainly filled with toast, peanut butter (of course), canned meals, and canned tuna. In other words, our culinary experience was definitely not a gourmet adventure. But we were not deterred and the next morning, we drove with Hauke's car to the starting point of the hike. From there, we took the Aqua Taxi to the other end of the national park (Totaranui), and then walked back.

The anticipation on the first day was high, as the pictures of the route suggested a paradise, but reality (of course) exceeded everything. Monotony was not on the agenda. Stunning views of secluded bays with golden sandy beaches alternated with sections that felt like a tropical rainforest.

The track is tide-dependent, which means that certain sections, called 'inlets', can only be crossed at low tide. This requires precise time planning to avoid taking a long detour. At the other end of the 'inlet' on the first day, we were greeted by the Torrent Bay Hut, where we spent the night. As expected, this hut was sparsely furnished and there was nothing modern like lamps or electricity. The advantage of this was the breathtaking starry sky, unlike anything you would see with the numerous streetlights. However, none of us had a headlamp in our luggage, so we had to reluctantly use the flashlights on our phones. Since we fell into bed an hour after sunset (which is at 6pm), it was not a problem.

The next morning, we continued on to the Bark Bay Hut, again with perfect hiking weather. It couldn't get any better! When we arrived in the evening, we were surprised with solar lamps, so we could find our way around the kitchen even without sunlight.

The Anchorage Hut one day later was also equipped in the same way, the most modern of these three accommodation options and located directly on the beach.

They say the best comes last. Not in this case... On the last day, we were greeted with rain as soon as we woke up, which would not let up for the entire day, as we would find out 12 hours later. Hoping it would stop at some point, we started the last 12 km of the route. It was insane to hike in continuous rain and with our backpacks! After a short time, our rain jackets were completely soaked and we might as well have been walking without anything. However, the thought of a hot shower and the warm car constantly motivated us, which is why we completed the scheduled 4-hour tour in 2 and a half hours, of course with the obligatory sprint towards the finish line. Finish line? Far from it. The Abel Tasman Coast Track was officially over, but the car that we eagerly wanted to reach was still far away without our knowledge. Together with two Australian girls who had to suffer the same fate, we completed the last kilometers to the final endpoint of the hike. A hot shower and fresh, warm food never felt so good!