Nelson
Booked into my favourite hostel to date - the Tasman Bay Backpackers - and got up at dawn to go kayaking on Phoebe's 19th Birthday. We were picked up by a ginger-mad-curly-haired American called Arian (pronounced "ahhhh ryan") and driven in a brightly coloured, tinsel-decked Indian-stylee bus all the way to Kaiteriteri Bay on the Abel Tasman. Jumped in our kayaks (mine and Phoebe's was called the 'silver bullet'!) and started paddling.
Half an hour later our arms were already knackered and the squabbling began... Then out of nowhere, the cutest, tiniest penguin (known as a "little blue") just swam over lazily and hung out with us for a bit - wicked. We carried on around the bay, at one point seeing stingrays darting under the kayak, up to Adele's Island (Adele was an explorer's wife, and the island's named as such because of it's boob-like peaks. Imaginative), where we sat on white powdery sand, ate lunch with frothy lattés (Arian had a camping milk frother!) and played frisby. Nithhe.
Phoebe and me in our 5th-element stylee neoprene kayaking skirt!
Split apple rock.
Stopping on a white sandy beach for lunch and frisby...
Arian with his full coffee making set
Phoebe showing off her fiiiiine booty
Phoebe and me in action!
Phoebe contemplating her long 19 years on the earth
Phoebs lying back while I do all the work...
Back into the water, we paddled round rocky crevices and down to Apple Tree Bay for another break... Then, on the way back, we created a make-shift sail attached to oars, and sailed all the way back as a little raft!
Ulf sailing us home!
Group shot back at the beach
Back at the hostel I made Phoebe a birthday meal, while she made her own cake(!) - Betty Crocker's triple chocolate brownies. Mannn they were good. Oh yes, then we befriended a tiny scabby hedgehog. It was simultaneously so very cute and rank. When we gave it some milk and bread it got so excited it got into the bowl to eat it. ahhh.
Scabbers!
Princess Phoebe with her presents
Phoebe with her cake(s)
And some sights en route to Kaikoura...
Half an hour later our arms were already knackered and the squabbling began... Then out of nowhere, the cutest, tiniest penguin (known as a "little blue") just swam over lazily and hung out with us for a bit - wicked. We carried on around the bay, at one point seeing stingrays darting under the kayak, up to Adele's Island (Adele was an explorer's wife, and the island's named as such because of it's boob-like peaks. Imaginative), where we sat on white powdery sand, ate lunch with frothy lattés (Arian had a camping milk frother!) and played frisby. Nithhe.
Phoebe and me in our 5th-element stylee neoprene kayaking skirt!
Split apple rock.
Stopping on a white sandy beach for lunch and frisby...
Arian with his full coffee making set
Phoebe showing off her fiiiiine booty
Phoebe and me in action!
Phoebe contemplating her long 19 years on the earth
Phoebs lying back while I do all the work...
Back into the water, we paddled round rocky crevices and down to Apple Tree Bay for another break... Then, on the way back, we created a make-shift sail attached to oars, and sailed all the way back as a little raft!
Ulf sailing us home!
Group shot back at the beach
Back at the hostel I made Phoebe a birthday meal, while she made her own cake(!) - Betty Crocker's triple chocolate brownies. Mannn they were good. Oh yes, then we befriended a tiny scabby hedgehog. It was simultaneously so very cute and rank. When we gave it some milk and bread it got so excited it got into the bowl to eat it. ahhh.
Scabbers!
Princess Phoebe with her presents
Phoebe with her cake(s)
And some sights en route to Kaikoura...
posted by Anna at 11:53 AM
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