Today we left Nelson after a very comfortable stay with Robin and David Hall.

Yesterday they took us for a terrific tour of the Nelson area, starting with a short walk into the Abel Tasman Nat. Park. It is right by the sea, so we started by walking across a marshy area where the river comes out, on a wooden walkway.. We saw a little blue heron (NZ type) with something in its beak; it was an elver, and the heron was having a hell of a job trying to eat it! In the end we left it still strugging.

We went back to Kaiteriteri, an absoutely idyllic sandy bay with rocks and gently breaking waves - bright sun . Robin had made a picnic and we sat and eat it and watched a party of school kids with kyaks, very colourful, and I thought how M & L would have loved it. In fact all of you would love ALL of it, it is truly fantastic here.

After that, David and Robin took us up a most beautiful valley where David's ancestors settled in the 1840s - he showed us where all of them lived. At the top of the valley is a little white church in a place called Dovedale, and all the graves of all his ancestors on the hillside. It was very special. On the way back we saw a memorial to Ernest Rutherford, the father of nuclear science, who was born and brought up at Brightwater, near Nelson. A super day concluded with having fish and chips and then watching TV, one of the Tribal Wives series.

Today David and Robin showed us Nelson cathedral, the organist was playing Christmas music and it was v. impressive.

Then we set off for the West coast - knowing that because of the torrential floods of a couple of days ago the road had been blocked. When we got to the blocked bit, they had traffic lights, and were furiously removing giant boulders which had crashed across the road.

Once again the scenery defies description, vast mountains and roaring rivers, some blue, some green, many stops to look.

At about 4 pm we arrived at Punakaiki where I had spotted a hostel, and there are the famous Pancake Rocks. For $66 we have a room in an empty house near the main hostel, twin beds, sitting room, kitchen, etc. with great view and about 200 yds. from the sea.

Paul is cooking at the moment and I have bagged the computer, $2 for 20 mins. (EEEK it just went off and I thought I had lost the lot, but put in another $2 and got it back!) Only snag, sandflies.

Lots of love to all, mumbo.