Marahau, NZ Sunday-January 5, 2014

SUNDAY – JANUARY 5, 2014

BOTTOM LINE:

Hike to the town of Marahau to spend the day (8.5km)

BACK STORY:

I inquired last night about the location of a church in town.  The reply was, “none.”  I am missing our church and church family in Sacramento!

After breakfast we put on our hiking shoes, smeared on sun screen and bug spray (we were warned about sand flies) and headed up the road to the last town (before Abel Tasman National Park), Marahau.

One of Leslie’s girlfriends from her college study abroad (Semester at Sea) program, Bonnie Walchuck had lived in the town for a couple of years.  She had worked at “Hooked on Marahau” café and recommended that we go there and say hello to her boss, Zoe.

We had little recourse but to hike 8.5km to Marahau.  There are no car taxis or boat taxis that travel there.  There is a bus, but it only runs there at 9am and returns at 4pm. We were leaving about 10:30 hoping to hike for an hour and a half and be there for lunch, stay for four hours and return on the bus.

We told the hostel manager what we were planning on doing. She suggested that we hitch hike if the walk was too much. We had already thought about that possibility.

The first hill out of town was very steep, narrow and twisty. There was really nowhere for a pedestrian to walk.  Luckily there were very few cars using the road.

After about the first mile we decided to put out the thumb.

The fourth car stopped and let us in his back seat, which was full of pruning equipment.  He apologized but was on his way to work.  We were thankful for the lift. He dropped us off at the café and he left.  Love these Kiwis!

Hooked on Marahau was the name of the café.  I immediately spotted who I thought looked like a “ZOE.”  I was right.  I explained who I was and how I knew Bonnie and then gave her a hug.  She was so excited to see someone that knew Bonnie.  She shared what a great person and employee she was.  I took a couple of pictures and then settled into a delicious lunch with Bruce.  It was a laid back café but with a gourmet upscale edge.  The café sat across from the beach so the ocean view was perfect.

Hooked on Marahau Cafe

  

Barb and Zoe, BonBon's former boss

The town of Marahau was a town that catered to visitors.  There were three cafes, a place to book tours, a community center, a campground and a fire department.  No gas station, grocery store or pharmacy.  The road dead- ended about two miles beyond the café.

After lunch we basically had four hours to kill until the next bus stopped for passengers to take back to Kaiteriteri. Thankfully we were in a beautiful location. 

Kaiteriteri Beach, NZ

Once back to the hostel, it was laundry time again.  The pub next door runs a daily special.  If a person buys $10 worth of bar drinks, they can get a meal for $5.  We got a small pitcher of hard cider and one dinner to share.  Good deal.