Destination - South Island

The ferry between the Islands runs out of Wellington, the capitol of New Zealand, across the Thomas Cook Strait, into the Queen Charlotte Sound to the town of Picton. The Cook Strait is the confluence of the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, and depending on sea and weather conditions, one of the roughest, most violent stretches of water for a ferry crossing in the world. On our crossing, sea conditions were posted as ‘moderate’, which for the 3½ hour trip was fine by us, as the ship still lurched around disconcertingly. We agreed we wouldn’t want to experience anything more than ‘moderate’.

Our day for the trip was warm but cloudy. Still, the countryside on our journey up Queen Charlotte Sound to Picton was spectacular. By comparison, the crossing on the ferry to Picton Ontario will never be quite the same again.





Everyone told us the South Island is quite different from the North. It is. The views are just as awesome, but the roads are even more challenging. Geography dictates of course, when it comes to building roads. But even so, you’d think that road builders here took some perverse pleasure out of constructing two lane blacktop round the most precipitous hills and mountains . . . . the Monte Carlo Rally has nothing on this.

Road conditions are probably also why drivers here are so remarkably considerate and polite. “Giving way” is a must-do, with all of the single lane bridges. That creates a super awareness of the other driver. With the majority of roads two lane, it also means passing slower drivers . . but with the constant twists and turns, not so easy to accomplish. But there are strategically located stretches of passing lanes, and where there is no room for them, there are ‘slow vehicle bays’ where drivers do actually pull into and let others pass. Most civilized !



We’ve discovered there are long stretches of road without petrol stations, and even longer stretches without accommodation . . .we’re becoming quite familiar with ‘no vacancy’ signs. A far cry from the bustle of downtown Wellington and the up-market Novotel, we finally found room at the Murchison Hotel, slap dab in the centre of, well, not exactly bustling Murchison (pop 201).

Where else can you walk down the main street without fear of being run down? This small hamlet is wedged between the Matiri and Brunner Ranges, offers a restaurant with excellent home cooking, and a hotel (built 1845) with comfortable accommodation. What more could one ask ?