Update

Time to add a few photos and an update on what's been happening. Had a lovely, relaxed family Christmas in the sun  - a bit odd to see the build up happening without the winter weather. Santa hats in the heat, pre dinner drinks on the deck. 

Opportunities for a walk in the shady park. Me with Ben and sister Beth:

Pukeiti Gardens:

Nick had time to take a day off and we got out to burn off the festive calories up on the mountain side on a walk to Curtis Falls:

This bridge leads from the car park up to Taranaki's own ski field.

Every year Pukekura Park in New Plymouth hosts lights in the park. Fun to wander around in the dark and see all the light installations:

Moving lights projected up into the trees.

On the 6th I took the bus down to Wellington to meet up with Ben. Amazingly he drove past as I walked from the train station to the ferry in the very slow traffic so I got a welcome lift. We took the evening ferry and got a nice sunset leaving the port:

After a night on a campsite in Picton we got a view of the harbour before heading on to another site near the start of the Abel Tasman Coastal Walk:

Dinner at the second campsite

We had a day back in Nelson between walks. Got to go to the brilliant State cinema:

Nelson has become a bigger and more modern place in the 15 years since my last visit, part of a general trend in popular parts of NZ.

Following the second tramp I had 2 days in Nelson to relax and catch up before I head to Australia on Thursday. 

Abel Tasman and Sabine Travers walk updates to follow.