Day 16 - Ferry Cross The Cook Straits

Last Day In The North

I have been looking forward to today since we first started planning the holiday. The ferry crossing is said to be fantastic and we end the day at Wharetutu. If it is half as good as the web site it will be fantastic.

Woke early and drew the blackout blinds. The view across the harbour was still there. Had breakfast with Chris and Pat. The restaurant was busy with families mulling around. Sit down with cooked breakfast and observe the passing traffic. My conclusion is that the women with children are quite dowdy, whilst the ones without children look pretty and “fit”.

Finish packing and prepare to checkout. Our shuttle to the ferry is due at 9.30. We are late getting down to reception, keeping the bus waiting. Slink onto bus and keep head down as we zip through Wellington shorefront to the ferry port. Check-in is efficient without any hitches. Sunny day, so everything goes well.

Board the ferry and find seats. It’s an old ferry which has had several coats of paint – badly. But we are only on it for 3 hours and hopefully most of the time out on the deck. We ease out of Wellington harbour, which looks magnificent and slowly the north island slides away into the blue horizon. Chris and I take a tour of the ship to video anything that moves. Back at our seats we eat snacks and drink as it is a millpond crossing. As Picton nears we move to front of boat to get a good view.

North Island Lasting Thoughts
It’s time to mull over the trip so far:

1. Auckland – Nice city, tower impressive, standing on the glass floor 600 ft up is shivery Great views from around the bays and despite its size a garden feel about the city. Shopping poor by European city standards for such a large city. Meals good with the exception of the observation restaurant one. Indian was an unexpected treat. Explorer bus was great, especially the view of Auckland from Kelly Tarleton's country and western artic adventure.

2. Coromandel – Pretty and a cute beauty. Ferns were a significant plant.  Thames will live forever in my mind because of the one track bridge and the Pak ‘n Save cool bags, planned before we left the UK and the best buy so far (which our beer and wine is in today). Cathedral cove is 10 out of 10. Dame Edna cooks a mean steak and Ray’s elusive Takapu wine is best so far. Train was an unexpected fun day out.

3. Rotorua - @94 great accommodation and little Julie’s home cooking was yummy mummy. Luge beats the mud pools as the highlight. Rundownsville and the River rats was a good day out.


4. Huka Falls and Taupo - Aratiatia canyon flooding an unexpected treat - awesome.  Picnic afterwards opposite the "helecopter" cafe- sun shining simple yet good food washed down with usual wine and beer. Huka Falls - busy yet we found seclusion - how strange (not to be missed). Taupo - to think this lake was formed by a volcanic eruption - only God can comprehend. The view from Wills Place. A dog called Sand.


5. Napier – Only test match I have ever been to (even if it was for a few overs). Ordinary, but pleasant  seaside town - prabably better when it opens after Christmas. Manicured vineyards and great meals in Med cafe and Charlie Chapin’s.

5. Wellington – Cable car ride not as good as looking at it from the observation deck with spectacular views from Mt Victoria Botanical Gardens . The most easy going capital city ever. Tasting Room meal and atmosphere on Christmas Eve - worth the trip itself. Christmas day picnic in the park.

6. Overall - Tidy lawns and public areas. Lack of crap and grafitti. Great food, super wines from NZ and Oz. Well stocked supermarkets. Polite People. Great beers and fellow travellers have been great. It's like 50's Britain in the 21st C. Hopefully the locals won't let multiculturalism and mass immigration spoil its charm. Scenery, not as dramatic as I thought it would be, but nevertheless fantastic so far.

Marlborough Sounds

Land creeps into view and we wend our way through the sounds and slowly towards Picton. More photo opportunities. The low(ish) hills on each side are tame compared with the ferry rides in Norway, but the weather is ten times better and we have the South Island’s treasures to explore.

Picton

Picton harbour comes into view. I had envisaged a mini Dover harbour, but this was more like some sort of dopy fishing village in Devon. We disembark at a leisurely pace and head for the "Dick Turpin" car hire offices. We are greeted by a middle aged lady who takes down our details and relieves us of more loot before we can load up our next hire car (wharf surcharge and NZ$25 per day for full comp!!!). It’s another Toyota Highlander, only this time it’s in grey. It’s a slightly older model than the gold bus in the north island, but the velour seats are better than the leather job in the North Island.


Nelson – Richmond

Pat is driving and we head for Nelson. We drive through rugged countryside onto the shores of the Tasman bay. Nelson- a beautiful city, but our thoughts are on Wharetutu and our BBQ that night. We spot a New World after several trips around the town. Foraging for food is a delight in NZ supermarkets as there is a great selection and good quality. The sausages are especially good for supermarket fare. We stock up our Pak ‘n Save coolbags and head off towards Richmond. The land flattens out as we swing north off Highway 6 onto highway 60. It’s a pleasant 30 mile drive and soon Kina Penninsula is in view on our right. We turn off towards the bay and immediately the Wharetutu house sign is in view.

View Larger Map


Wharetutu

There is a short, unmade road  which soon becomes a steep incline to the house - the silver bus eats the hill and we pass behind the house and into the driveway. Wow! The house is built in black wood with large floor length windows. Purpose built by the owners Stan and Jenny it is something out of “Grand Designs”. Stan welcomes us and shows us around our spacious accommodation and outside facilities, which includes a swimming pool and jacuzzi.

We unpack and inspect our new home. Modern bedroom, well appointed with flat screen TV. En suite is excellent and gets good marks from Coleen. Through the pation doors we can see snow capped mountains with the late afternoon sun giving them a milky haze above the dark valley and smaller foothills nearby with their vineyards. We explore the rest of the house. Stan has switched on the mood music, which can be themed for the time of day – cool. The lounge is modern and well fitted (even though we don’t use it). The dining room has a long table facing the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the stunning view. There is a microwave and fridge, which we stock up before going outside and exploring the landscaped gardens and pool area.

BBQ is fired up and another great meal devoured with some usual fantastic wine. Spend evening on the patio, talking and watching the mountains change as the sun drifts behind them, finally turning them to deep purple before it too has to go to bed. Back inside Stan has changed the mood music and set  the lighting so the glass lined corridor  is now lit by energy efficient LED lights.



The Sky At Night

Time for bed but the inky, black night sky is bewitching. Venus is at its closest point to Earth for many years and glows like a beacon in the evening sky long before sunset and afterwards is like a bright jewel. This is probably what The Three Wise Men saw over Bethlehem (unless it was Jesus' halo). There are no street lights or nearby large cities so the sky is black and milky way is just as I remember it when a child – but with different stars. We easily spot the star formation called the Flounder used by the ancient Polynesian travellers as a navigation aid. It is shaped like the fish and is a hazy white colour. After some time we go back throgh the patio doors to bed.


Slept well.