Nelson - the centre of EnZed

I checked out of Tombstone this morning after a dreadful nights sleep. It wasn't the bed's fault - that was very comfy, but the drunken German bloke above me that snored like a train all night. I got out of bed in need of a sleep.

The rain had stopped revealing the damage it left in its wake. The hostel had almost be ruined due to a massive landslide that had caused the hill it was built on to disintegrate! Luckily it was just the chicken shed that suffered any damage. My planned route to Nelson, Along the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive was closed due to fallen trees and landslips so I took the main road via Blenheim and Havelock. The storm had left quite a mark on the beautiful Sounds area. Many landslip that had blocked the road had been shifted early on but acres of countryside were underwater. I saw a herd of cattle caught stranded on a newly created island in the middle of a huge field. After leaving the Marlborough Sounds district I entered the Nelson area. Nelson is a very popular area to live with Kiwi's and has received massive increases in house prices due to this. I pulled into town around midday and booked myself into 'The Bug' hostel on the south side of town. This hostel had a good reputation from the people I had met so I was keen to stay here even through it is about a 20min walk out of town. It must have really popular reviews in the Taiwanese guide books as about 70% of the other travelers here are from Taiwan! I was in need of a walk due to being hostel-bound all of yesterday so I embarked on a walk to the 'Centre of New Zealand'! This point supposedly lies on the top of a hill to the East of the city centre. I tramped by way to this point via the city's sights and took in the views as I touched the trig point that marks this spot. I returned to the hostel about 16.30 for a brew then went to the supermarket to get ingredients for the stir-fry I decided to make for tea.

Having failed to do the QC track, I have my sights on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track. This is probably the easiest of the multi-day 'Great Walks' but should be a good one. That is if the weather clears up! We shall have to wait and see. I did look at getting some walking boots as my shoes are like sieves in the wet, but I cannot justify the $400 they command over here seeing as I have good boots back home. I shall just have to put up with wet socks!