Kia Ora!

As the Maori's say-Kia Ora,
We spent 3 wonderful days hiking the Abel Tasman Coastal Trek. One of the most beautiful hikes we have ever done. It was very different from our usual mountain hikes. The trail has great views of golden white sandy beaches strewn with kayaks. We hiked through plush terrain that looked just like the setting from the movie King Kong, which was filmed in New Zealand. The water is turquoise. It is very tropical. Try googling it. All you hikers should try doing it someday.
Both nights we slept in communal huts, a new experience for the kids. It reminded Mike and I of our youth hostel traveling days in Europe. Laying next to complete strangers and falling asleep to the symphony of 14 snorers is quite an experience. The weather was perfect for our trip. We did a total of about 25 kilometers one way and then took a water taxi back to the car. (I like this metric system, it makes our hike seem longer and my weight less in kilo's than pounds).
When we weren't tramping, we were relaxing by sun bathing on the beach, playing cards, whittling sticks and writing in our journals. Imagine that- the Steens have down time.
It's New Year's Eve Day. This morning we were on tropical beaches and now we are on glacial fields. It is such a diverse country. We are camping at Franz Joseph Glacier. It has been a long traveling day. Good thing it is light out until 10:00. We can pitch the tent and still see. Then it will be time to ring in the new year...2007. The year down under, the year of new adventures.
Love,
The Steens