New Zealand Day 11

Our last full day in Nelson started out with a haircut for me, and then we found the bus station (for leaving in 5 days time).  We then toured the Provincial Museum.  The first floor was Nelson focussed exhibits starting from its creation to the present day.  There were lots of photographs, old artifacts, early furnishings, Maori implements, and vignettes on important events.  Please note the Treaty of Waitangi and the Arthur Wakefield prints.  The second floor had an interesting, fun exhibit of small, mechanical "whirligigs."   It was called "curious ConTrapTions."  You will be able to view still photos of a couple them, since the video is way too large to upload.  About 10 or more artists from around the world made the 30 to 40 gigs or automatons on display.  They all involved cranks that turn cams/wheels, which imparted motion to whimsical figures.

Cicada, up close and personal

A most amusing one -- a guy eating spaghetti in a bathtub full of spaghetti, with tomato sauce and cheese flowing from the taps (very much English since there are two taps)

Lots of action on this one -- everything moves.

After returning to the hotel, we saw the other five folks in our group (V, J&R, and L&D), who had been shuttled over to Nelson from Picton.  For the afternoon, everyone did their own thing.  Betsy and I rented bicycles from the hotel (NZ$ 20 for half day), and journeyed south along the Great Taste Trail (or the Railway Reserve) to Stoke.  It was all off-road.  Our turn around point was the PIC's Peanutbutter Factory.  We stopped in for quick refreshment of lemonade and a peanut butter cookie.  There were three main styles of peanut butter for sale (chunky, creamy and simunchy) in various sizes from small tubes up to 10 kg tubs.  The ride involved about 250 feet of vertical climb over a saddle that divides Nelson from Stoke, which provided some tough struggles for me but a nice fast, coast down the other sides.  

                                           

The Nelson manhole cover.

All seven of us gathered at the bar at the neighboring hotel, had libations overlooking the river, which is tidal and sees an estimated 10 feet of water level fluctuations twice a day.  We went for dinner at Hawker House, located at the foot of the Cathedral steps.  It was, we guessed, Asian Fusion cuisine.

Here is what Betsy and I had - Prawn and Shumai, and Samurai Fries.

We returned to the hotel and prepped for the 7:00 am pickup tomorrow morning.  We have an outfitter-supplied bag for our overnight gear, daypacks which we will carry on the trek, and our large luggage which we will leave behind at the hotel.

Photo organized by Varis - good vibes for the Abel Tasman Trek.