Abel Tasman

Abel Tasman was the first white man to find New Zealand. He was Dutch. The Dutch were like the Xerox PARC of the 16th and 17th centuries. If they could have held on to what they found, New Yorkers (New Amsterdamers), Australians (New Hollanders), South Africans, and New Zealanders would be all speaking Dutch today (many Capetonians do speak Afrikaans, a version of Dutch, but you get the idea).

The bit of land protruding out between Golden Bay and Tasman Bay along the north coast of New Zealand’s South Island is a national park named after Abel Tasman. And this was my destination. Because it’s where a lush rain forest descend from green mountains to meet the aquamarine seas on golden beaches.