Ferry Ride to South Island Friday-January 3, 2014

FRIDAY – JANUARY 3, 2014

BOTTOM LINE:

Ferry ride to Picton on South Island

Drive to Kaiteriteri

BACK STORY:

We would be picked up a 7am sharp…and shuttled to the ferry building where we would check in our luggage much like the airlines and then take a seat somewhere on the 8 decks for our ride on the Interislander Ferry crossing Cook Strait to the town of Picton. 

We would be leaving our bus in Wellington and put on another bus once we gathered our luggage in Picton.  Our driver told us that it would cost $2k to take a bus on the ferry.  Kiwi Experience therefore has a dozen buses for tours on the north island and another dozen on the south.

The crossing typically takes about 3 hours, but because it was so incredibly stormy and windy, we were told that it would take 4 hours. After boarding the ship and seeing the white caps and the water in the bay being picked up with great gusts of wind, I took a motion sickness pill.  I avoid them at all cost because they make me so sleepy…but for four hours of rough seas, pass me the water please!

The ferry was quite different than the Puget Sound Ferries of Washington State.  They were well equipped with comfortable lounge chairs, eateries, and entertainment.  The ship was huge and thankfully road the waves with little rocking.  The time passed quickly.

Interislander Ferry

   

Stormy crossing from Wellington to Picton, NZ

We imagine the views while passing through Queen Charlotte Sound, which is beyond the Cook Strait would have been breath taking.  The Capitan wove the ferry in among picturesque islands where Bruce actually spotted a large pod of dolphins.  Unfortunately the clouds hung low over the island peaks preventing us from really seeing the enormity of the view. We’re hopeful that our return trip will be different.

Arriving in Picton we all claimed our luggage and headed to the bus for the remainder of the drive.  We made a stop at a grocery store in the town of Nelson for supplies.  Because Bruce and I be hopping off the bus for four days, we were thankful to be able to get food supplies and do some healthy cooking.

Ferry crossing

  

Picton, NZ

The ride through the countryside was different than the north island but very familiar in appearance to the wine country of northern California…predominantly Healdsburg, Napa and Sonoma…rows and rows of vines climbing hills in orderly directions.  Ahhh, it felt like home!

Napa or New Zealand???

  We arrived to the Kaiteriteri Lodge around 4pm and were ushered into the reception area like livestock.  We knew ahead of time that we would be spending the first night in a dorm and would be moved to a private room for the following three nights.  It wasn’t bad.  We took bottom bunks across from each other so that we would have the area under the bed to store our belongings and also an outlet for recharging.

We dined on BBQ steaks, potatoes, carrots and broccoli that we picked up at the store.  It felt good to cook and eat fresh food.  Good end to a long day.