February 11
Havelock to Nelson
Internet problems appeared immediately. Total failure to connect last night and again this morning so I sought help from the moteliers. They couldn’t have been nicer and even let me consult their IT man who was installing their new office machine. He confirmed that I had done everything that I should have and that the problem lay either with the motel phone lines or with the ISP. Whilst that made me feel better, it didn’t solve the problem.
The motel dog, a boxer, took one look at me, growled fiercely and went into reverse. Its Mummy & Daddy explained that it was a total embarrassment as it did that to almost everyone.
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The Cullen Point walk, which I had postponed yesterday, was hot, steep and sticky. It went rapidly downhill, offering good views down the Sounds and then back up the hill again through an area of bush. It was very humid and the cicadas were very noisy - if they had been industrial I would have been required to wear ear protectors. I was able to watch the mail boat chugging up the Sounds, with its cargo of post, people and anything else requiring delivery to the isolated houses. It would be an idyllic way to spend a day - if only the weather could be guaranteed. |
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 Cullen Point Walk |
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Eventually, I returned to my starting point after about 50 minutes and 3.5 kilometres. It was good exercise but not particularly exciting.
The journey to Nelson starts at sea level and passes into the Pelorous River gorge. The café there is always pretty, set in a clearing in the forest and acting as a centre for a camp site and a network of walking tracks. The lady at the motel had told me that it had recently changed hands but that it was still good. She was right. The food looked excellent but I contented myself with a Florentine and a coffee, both good.
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 Whangamoa Saddle
Left: Pelorous Bridge |
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The road rises over the Whangamoa Saddle and drops down to the coast at Nelson. It became increasingly gloomy and spots of rain began to appear on the windscreen.
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I headed straight past the city, through heavy traffic and out to the vineyards. I had been told to eat at Waimea Estate and the food was good. I had a huge hors d’oeuvres platter, really enough for two. This was the small version so goodness knows how large the large one would have been. I sat in a tent-like structure, listening to the rain beating down on the canvas roof.This continued as I made my way to Upper Moutere and some more vineyards. Neudorf, one of the best in New Zealand and, possibly, the world, sold me some wonderful Riesling and Seifried, at the more mundane end, sold me some more basic wine. |
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As the rain grew heavier and heavier, I drove back to the motel in Nelson, finding ever more heavy traffic, checked in and had a snooze whilst listening to the rain hammering down on the tin roof outside.
Dinner was in a café full of scooters, perfect for me, and I sat under yet another flat roof listening to the rain.
| Next Day |