Hello Everyone. I am now in Matueka where I am awaiting the chariot to my next adventure. Translation: the orchard keeper that I'll be picking apples for will be picking me up in awhile to take me to the orchard. I start picking this afternoon. Accommodation... sharing a room with a 25 year old guy... Swiss I think. Pay is low, hours are long, work is hard, accommodations are minimal or less, facilities shared, meals are cook your own food. I have groceries for a couple of days. Left most of my luggage and stuff at the backpackers to get when I return to Nelson. That is the transport hub of this area so I have to go through there to get somewhere else.
This has been a fun and intersting week. On Monday night I went to the cinema to see 'Monster'. A brilliantly done film about a Floriday highway hooker, her life and the killing spree that ended it. She is still considered the only female serial killer in the U.S. and she was executed in Florida in 1999 after murdering dozens of johns for their cars and money. It started off with a self-defense killing when a john had beaten her, tied her up and was planning a brutal rape. She was able to free herself enough to grab her gun and shoot. It is, however, a brutal movie... as real life can often be for some people... so remember that before going to see it. One of my roommates (the Aussie) from the backpackers' was also going in to see it so we went together. It was nice to have someone to critique the movie with on the way home.
Tuesday, I caught the 8:30 am bus and went up to the Abel Tasman Park for a trek. The bus dropped us at the beach in Matueka where we were dighied out to a tour boat. The boat toured up the shoreline stopping to visit a couple of interesting sites. We saw "Slip Apple Rock" (yes it looks like an apple slit in half - photos to come later), an island where the Blue Fairy Penguins live (but we weren't close enough to much more than little dark dots moving around on the beach) and we stopped at a couple of spots to drop off and pick up passengers. We stopped briefly in Anchorage, a pretty little harbour completely protected from winds and waves. Not quite a 'hurricane hole' but close. Then we pulled into Torrent Bay where I got off with a couple of other solo lady travellers. We had to remove shoes and socks to wade ashore in the icy cold water. BRRR!!
This is where my 4.5 hour trek back to Marahau began. There English girls said her goodbyes and hit the trail ahead of us. Then Stephanie (German 33 yr. old) and I started off together. We were able to find a pace that was comfortable for both but I think she found it hard to keep up with me on the uphill climbs. I've done more of this sort of thing than she has. She is also 5cm shorter than me so my stride is longer (Cathy can appreciate this :-)).
It was a marvellous trek. Not a difficult track with well graded, easy climbs and only a few wet or muddy spots. There are foot bridges over all the stream gorges and there are lots of them. Bablling brooks, waterfalls, streams and ponds were everywhere. The forest is lush and damp with the most interesting mix of vegetation I've ever seen. Huge palm trees are everywhere along with monster ferns, mosses of every type, molds, lichens and spores that are every sort, colour, shape and texture you can imagine. Velvety molds coat the roots of dying trees and plants in dripping fingers of black, maroon, sienna, burnt umber, deep golds and charcoal grey. There are the scents of eucalyptus, cedar and pine, rotting undergrowths and mushrooms. BUT no bugs, few birds and, as far as I could tell, no wildlife in the daytime. It was strange to not hear the sounds of scurrying rodents and screaching, twittering birds. Very odd.
Must run... more later.
Posted by gailene at April 15, 2004 01:47 PM