22.1.2018: And once again it fails due to the weather

My hope that the weather forecast is wrong shatters as soon as I look out of the window in the morning. This means that both option A (driving over the Takaka Hill to the northern part of the Abel Tasman National Park) and option B (taking a water taxi to one of the countless bays, hiking there for 2.5-3 hours, and then getting picked up at another location) are no longer possible, because beaches are no fun in the rain. Of course, it had to be the only bad weather day in the past and next few days.

However, there is no reason to hastily leave Motueka. I stop for a photo at the historic clock tower and at the Janie Seddon shipwreck before continuing to Nelson. Just a few kilometers before Nelson is Richmond, where there is finally a Pak'n'save supermarket, because this is the only place where I can find my muesli and the cheapest powdered milk by far. It's a shame that I only restocked my supplies at Countdown yesterday, but in the end, more than just the two desired products end up in my shopping basket. And to make it even worse, there is chocolate on sale for 1.99 NZD, and I have to resist the temptation to take only one bar. Pak'n'save is simply MY store.

It's not far to the Founders Heritage Park in Nelson. Although one could lament the bad weather during my visit, I don't mind rain when it comes to things like this because it doesn't disadvantage the photo opportunities. I spend two hours strolling around the area, which includes, among other things, a historic fire station, a brewery, a pharmacy equipped with medicines from that time, and a walk-in cargo plane.

I didn't expect that the remote holiday park at Okiwi Bay might be fully booked. However, since the nearest budget accommodation is miles away, I accept the offer to sleep in the car and use the kitchen and bathroom for 20 NZD.

Five kilometers before the destination, the Goat Hill Lookout is signposted 750 meters away. It's worth a visit. It already provides a good introduction to the Marlborough Sounds and makes me want to see more.

Finally, I reach the beautifully situated Okiwi Bay Holiday Park. It has everything you need, except for mobile reception, trash bins in the toilets, and kitchen utensils. Well, I don't have pots and dishes in my repertoire anyway, so in the evening I can only have a 5-minute noodle cup and a yogurt. Additionally, I feel like I'm intruding on a close-knit Kiwi community, as no one seems interested in small talk, which is usually the norm here. Well, it's only for a short time.

It's my first night in my Cory and my first night alone in the car ever. During my two previous trips to New Zealand, I never had to sleep in the car. Well, let's see how it goes.