"God's Own"

Good Morning!!!

I was told recently that older New Zealander's call their country "God's Own", and it fits. It is as if God left a tiny beautifully wrapped parcel of the world in the corner, to be unwrapped and revealed slowly. A little gift for humans to enjoy respectively. Just think of the majesty of the landscape in the United States and fit in to a much smaller space, where mountains and oceans have a close relationship, always tugging, pulling, growing, shifting, moving; over, under, in, and out.

After we arrived off the ferry from the North Island we landed in a little town called, Picton. After bank, Internet, laundry, and lunch we were off to find the home stay we booked at the last minute on the ferry. We took the scenic and ever so curving road called "Queen Charlotte's Road". We weaved across, over, and down through the bush where pieces of the Marlborough Sound would reveal it's gorgeous bright blue bays and it's coastline speckled with crisp white sail boats and yacht's. It was Caribbean like in it's color and calm flat texture. Jason proved to be a skilled driver as the narrow roads threatened scraping the sides of mountains with every curve. Our little blue car survived and we dropped into the valley and continued up the coastline toward Nelson.

We took a turn on to a country road and headed in toward Heather and David's place, our home stay for the next two nights. Arriving late we took a look around the amazing home, garden, pond, and environment that Heather and David had built from the ground up. It was a true home, based around a warm kitchen with open doors out to the garden. Off the side of the house were two suites for guests, each with it's own entrance, bathroom, and wee kitchenette. We woke to an amazing breakfast with organic products from their land and garden. We were joined by a German couple and shared our travel experiences and perceptions of the world. Good conversation, good food, sunny morning, and a cute puppy to pet was the best base for our long day.

We walked 15 km through the Abel Tasmen National Park and ran the last 3 km through the trail; dodging tree roots, streams, rocks, bridges, and people. We took a boat up to Torrent Bay and started our journey back through an estuary, a pool with a natural slide; that Jason went down, deep thick rain forest, at the edge of cliffs down to the ocean, and on a bridge over marsh land. Ending with a beer at a small cafe looking over the park we were invigorated and ready for a good dinner.

Heather and David made an amazing organic dinner for us of their own grass fed beef, fresh greens, homemade breads, and blueberry sorbet. Amazing. They told us their story; Dave is American and Heather is Australian. They were open about their lives, experiences, children, and thoughts. We shared our stories as well. We left the table late at night grateful to have met them, and peek into their lives in their beautiful home and land, which contains so much of themselves we were in awe and truly inspired by their passion.

It was a pure coincidence that we happened to book Heather and Dave's as they were just down the road and good friends with Cheryl, the woman I mentioned yesterday that runs the Horse Trekking. So, off we were for three days of horse riding and we didn't know what else. We headed even further into the Baton Valley and ended off a gravel road at the Western Ranges Horse Trek. We walked across paddocks and a swing bridge up to the stables where Cheryl was waiting with Misty (Jason's horse) and Nandor (my horse). We saddled up, got on, properly held our reins (thanks Marie and Scooter!), and with our Irish guide, Carol, and her Scottish assistant, Alex, we were off.

Instead of writing about each day and each new trail, I'll summarize. Imagine Lord of the Rings views and landscapes, river crossings, walking then trotting and then cantering up hills, across fields, through thick bush, and along streams. We came across sheep, cows, pigs, wild goats, robins, ducks, a gorgeous stallion, llamas, and the cutest sweetest baby horse. Cheryl is able to use her neighbors land as well as the national park so she has many options of different rides, animals to see, and scenery to enjoy. Each day we sat by the river and had our tasty homemade lunch getting to know our guides and horses. The days ended with taking the horses for a swim in the river while riding bare back. I mean a swim. We would walk them into a big deep swim hole and down they would go up to their necks and swim along. We were summered into our waists and it was a blast. The horses would grunt and groan, as they loved it too.

The last day was the most fun as we did a lot of cantering (in between a trot and gallop). Up hills, around corners, and across high and windy terraces. It was invigorating and so free. We felt spoiled. Nandor was quite strong and Misty who always hung back to snack on grass and enjoy the scenery was a perfect fit for Jason.

We stayed in a little hut build by Cheryl and her family, which was at the end of a paddock looking across at sheep grazing, and then to where the horse's grazed, and up along the mountains until they ended above tree line and were covered in snow. It was stunning. We had a wood burning stove that would heat the water for the outside shower. A huge hand made wood table, a outside fire pit, a horse hitching post, a bush bath, and a very clean outhouse that had a great view of the stream below. Cheryl came down every night and she made us dinner. Great dinner's. After Jason would build a fire under the bush bath and in we would go. The bush bath is literally a bathtub in the trees with a space for a wood fire under it. Letting the fire go down to burning coals we would sit on a plank of wood as not to burn ourselves and soak under the moonlight, completely alone we could sing. Jason, he was in his element. The boyscout and West Virginia kid came flying out. My sweet husband chopping wood and drinking a beer after a long day of horse riding, standing naked on the porch in the moonlight, making fire, cooking bacon, and going to the bathroom in the bush; one with nature...he was glowing.

Cheryl had some amazing stories about her life and adventures. A strong, beautiful, loving, and talented woman. We had the best time everything was so well done and loved for. It was an honor. Thank you so much Dad for this beautiful gift. We will never forget it.

That's it for now. We're off to the Glaciers today and then we keep heading south. We'll keep you updated when we can. We haven't put pictures up because it takes too much time on this site. Sorry!!!

Take care and we love you lots.

Thanks for the comments back too. We like to read them.

Leah and Jason.