The South Island

Josie and I have been busy lately. We spent nearly a week without internet access when we went to Abel Tasman National Park. The weather was beautiful, and we didn't run into too many problems aside from a lost flashlight and lost car keys (we got them back after we got a locksmith to make some new ones.

The Abel Tasman hiking trip came about because of this abiding principle: I do not camp. I don't sleep on the ground. I do not recognize a hole in the ground as being a toilet. And I don't want any forest creatures to be disturbing me or my stuff in the middle of the night.

I do however like to hike. And I don't mind carrying a big backpack full of crap I need to live. And I actually find camp cooking to be enjoyable. Going without showering for a few days is... well, not that big a deal.

The New Zealand Department of Conservation has this to say about Abel Tasman:

The Abel Tasman Coast Track, located in Abel Tasman National Park on South Island's northern shores, is one of the DOC Great Walks. The Coast Track extends for 52 km and is classified as a walking track: all streams are bridged but there are tidal crossings, which can only be crossed within a few hours either side of low tide. The track takes an average of three to five days to complete. There are huts and campsites where you can stay for a fee.

By "hut" they mean cabin. No electricity or kitchen, but they have bunks and a common room where you can cook on a camp stove. There is potable running water. And real toilets that flush. They even have showers, if you can call freezing cold water coming out of an overhead pipe behind a bush a "shower." So it's not camping. It's actually much more like camp, but without camp counselors or lanyard weaving.

Additionally, New Zealand does not have any large predators. Which means no bears. That's key. One run-in with a bear that chases you out of your campsite is enough for a lifetime.

So Josie and I decided to go for it. The trip almost got canceled due to rain, but as the date approached, the weather report got better, and we decided to chance it.

Here are the pictures.