Heading North
Trip Start
Sep 01, 2008
1
16
20
Trip End
Sep 23, 2008
Palmerston North,
North Island,
New Zealand
Friday, September 19, 2008
Upon arrival in Picton we filled the Avis Ford Falcon (unlike the Falcons we knew in the U.S.) with petrol and handed it over to the very nice rental car lady who assured us another car would await us when we docked in Wellington. Avis on the ground here really has its act together (unlike Avis on the toll-free "Zero/Eight hundred" number where they are clueless about all things). We drove 3004 kilometers on the South Island which equals 1867 miles. We were on the South Island for ten nights. The South Island covers about the same amount of square miles as the states of Kansas and Missouri combined and has a population of just under a million people.
Windy Road
It isn't crowded. For me, highlights were bungy jumping, watching Spark muster sheep, and hanging with the seals. Debi says hers are: chasing down the "sunset that didn't happen" to Gillespie Beach, sipping wine in Akaroa, Pancake rock, the seals, and jumping off the Kawarau Bridge.Heading for the North Island on the 1:45 sailing, we upgraded on the InterIslander Ferry Kaitaki to "Kaitaki Plus" Class and took our choice of couches in a large lounge area reserved for folks who are willing to pay $40 over the $52 passage. We did. We were the only ones who did. Wine flows, there are mini-mince pies and a toaster along with various fruit, dessert canopes and the like. And, wireless internet is included. We Skype Megan and then Cianan and Debi tries the McLaughlin sisters who are in Chicago with their friend Oprah. Nobody is answering in the Windy City, however. We assume they're being Wicked. After texting Shannon, Debi grabs her knitting and her crosswords.
The minute we clear the sound and enter Cook Strait-after about an hour-the seas turn on us, becoming "moderate: and our ferry begins to rock and roll a bit. Debi warns me there are 'pukers" outside the Kaitaki Plus Lounge.
An official announcement warns us to take care when moving through passageway doors as the wind and sea conditions may cause the heavy doors to slam on our various body parts and cause us great discomfort. Good to know.
At 3:15, the Captain's voice comes on the loudspeaker announcing that we are cruising at 20 knots and that he will be holding an exercise for the crew. Then, "for a drill only" seven short bells and whistles sound followed by one long one and that means, "We've got a fire on deck five where all the vehicles sit." The crew scrambles; we're told that we're not expected to participate. Debi knits. We're on deck seven where there are no vehicles. Later, I see the crew strapping a volunteer onto a backboard and affixing a neck brace and other emergency equipment. I have another glass of Sauvignon Blanc. It's lovely. We pass a pair of lighthouses heading into Wellington on the North Island.
Upon docking at Wellington, we seamlessly grabbed a replacement Avis car-a Holden Commodore-and set out. We didn't find anything to our liking until we made it all the way to Palmerston North, much farther than we had intended to travel. We had the best dinner of the trip in a nice restaurant-maybe the first that would be a success in the U.S.
New Zealand tip: come in September. The weather is mostly nice. There are no tourists. You have the roads, lodging, sights and sounds to yourself. The lambs are newly born, the countryside is green and the prices are much lower. Be prepared to eat lots of chips (french fries). Oh; and there will be an option of having a fried egg on top of nearly everything: hamburgers, fettuccine, steak,
Comments
ferry ride
The ferry looks like a nice place, unfortunately I would have only seen the outside with the other 'pukers'.
This is a great travel journal, love the photos and update everyday.