| Careless indulgence is how it felt. Four middle aged | | | | yellow sandy bays. Then arriving at the clearest pool |
| women drifting down the Motueka River on a home | | | | of mountain river water for a picnic and an afternoon |
| made raft - wicked humour provoking raucous laughter | | | | of playing in the sparkling pool, standing under the |
| and the odd cackle! | | | | waterfall and whizzing down the slippery rocks, |
| The mother of the UK family that arrived in New | | | | seemingly placed perfectly to create a natural water |
| Zealand in 2006 to make a new life was feeling a | | | | slide - great fun! |
| sense of freedom and exhilaration on the river that | | | | On another occasion, being surrounded in New |
| she would not have dreamed of in England. Me ride | | | | Zealand by that sense of fearlessness and 'can do' |
| rapids in a home made raft? Never! | | | | mentality also made it possible for this unfit English |
| What makes it possible to do something so special on | | | | woman to abandon caution and let propriety fly out of |
| an ordinary Sunday just ten minutes from where we | | | | the window as she careered down the side of a |
| live? Beautiful clean river water is plentiful in NZ, along | | | | mountain with two strong Kiwi guys either side of her |
| with the company of Kiwi women who have lived their | | | | to help her lift off into the jetstream above |
| lives with the freedom to explore and experience | | | | Queenstown for ten wonderful minutes of flying |
| adventure in the New Zealand outdoors without fear. | | | | (paragliding). I'd do it again in a shot! |
| As we drifted past favourite water holes, perfect for | | | | Fishing for snapper off the rocks at Stephen's Bay, |
| swimming, childhood memories were shared of the | | | | near Kaiteriteri, watching the odd sting-ray lazily nosing |
| generations of fun experienced there. | | | | in out of the rock crevices and the gannets diving at |
| The fact that river drifting, or just playing and swimming | | | | the shoal of kahawai as the sun goes down, provides |
| in the rivers of NZ is so commonplace is what makes | | | | the perfect antidote to a stress filled Uncle who has |
| my recent river drift something I'll look forward to | | | | come to visit from England. To harvest mussels off |
| every Summer now we live in New Zealand. It cost | | | | the rocks to bring home for moules mariniere with |
| nothing! The mountain views were marvelous and we | | | | crusty bread and local Nelson Tasman wine, is to |
| were the only ones on the river. Pure relaxation! | | | | create a feast just for the cost of the bread and wine. |
| It feels as though a new kind of life with different | | | | As we take our morning walk along the Motueka sea |
| patterns and expectations is possible now. New family | | | | front at low tide we see people out with their buckets |
| traditions are in the making, simply because of the | | | | collecting pipis. It is delightful to thrust our hands into the |
| abundance of outdoor experiences in New Zealand | | | | soft sand at Rabbit Island or any one of the beaches |
| that are unpolluted, uncrowded and exhilarating. | | | | along the Abel Tasman National Park and to bring up |
| Walking the Abel Tasman track to Cleopatra's pool is | | | | beautiful smooth scallop shaped pipis! It is the sheer |
| beautiful for the scenery, the native trees and the | | | | abundance of free unadulterated, unpolluted fresh food |
| incredibly blue Tasman Bay sea lapping into gorgeous | | | | that thrills. |