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Jan's Travels
Started our Stray bus tour. Only 5 on the bus!!! Had a cracking driver called James, So funny and happy to take us wherever. First stop was kaikoura, an east coast town famed for whale watching and dolphins. Didn't do any activities but wlaked along the beach and saw the seal colony. Pretty weird seeing them lying on the raod and grass. Stayed in a nice hostel with a spa and free soup, oh the finer things in life!
The next stop was Picton, the ferry port. Stayed a night but it was a bit of a ghost town. Went for a 3 hour hike over the Malbourgh sounds and out to a view point. Pretty bored at night but perked up with free apple crumble. Ended up trying to do a jigsaw beacsue we were so bored but it turned out there were two tv rooms, just didn't know about them!
Picked up more people at the ferry terminal the next day so the bus was a bit busier. Did a short wine tasting thing, too early in the day. Stayed just outside the Abel Tasman National park at place called Old MacDonalds Farm. Ended up chopping wood - well trying to- for the fire to roast our marshmallows. Went sea Kayaking the next day in the national park. Didn't think it would be so tough, my muscles couldn't take it. Took turns of steering from the back so there were no fall outs, I think we were both as bad as eachother. Our guide was good but he kept reminding us we were too slow to go the full way so we didn't really get to our destination.
Headed to Barrytown on the West coast the next day. Not sure how Stray found this place but it's not to be missed! There's not much going on in the town and not much to see or do apart from the pub. The locals were mental, not sure I've ever seen anyone as drunk as I did on our first night. Kar and I had signed up to do bone carving the next day and the most drunk guy was the one doing it! THe pub has a clothes rail they bring out most night and people just get dressed up and dance about. I think the earliest night the pub closed was about 5. Met an irish guy who had been there 3 nights and couldn't leave, loved it so much! Crazy place.
Went bone carving which was good, made a necklace. The drunk guy didn't turn up, someone else was there! Thankfully maybe. Walked along Barrytown beach to try and find some green stone, think I did (honestly) but threw it back. Walking along the beach we could see the Southern Alps in the distance, we were on a beach and green foresty mountains behind us. Lovely!
The bus chipped in to all make apple crumble at night for us and the rest of the pub, also had Rusty the cooks famous roast dinner, not as good as yours mum!
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