Nearly missing the bastard ferry.
Trip Start
Sep 01, 2005
1
33
65
Trip End
May 11, 2006
Picton,
New Zealand
Wednesday, January 4, 2006
There was a ferry there but it wasn't my one. The one I wanted was about a mile down the road, which is a long way with a really heavy rucksack with a broken strap and not much time before departure. Luckily a kind couple in a car at the traffic lights that I asked for directions offered to give me a lift. I made it with plenty of time but wouldn't have if it wasn't for their lifesaving help. I say lifesaving, not mine, the woman at the hostel's if I'd had to return there.
The ferry crossing is very beautiful, the last part being a meander through the fjord like coastline of Marlborough Sounds. The New Zealand coastline features a lot of sounds, long, wide ocean inlets according to dictionary.com; also a fishes bladders. Sounds like I will be seeing a lot more of them (how witty am I? Yeah, don't answer) I've yet to see any Dolphins which is starting to get on my nerves. I was told that they swim in the wake of the ferry, I had my hook and bait out and still nothing.
I stayed in a really nice hostel in Picton. I've come to realise that the really small privately run hostels are much nicer than the massive ones you get in some cities. Often people don't give a shit about keeping the kitchens tidy and just leave their dishes and mess for the cleaners. This hostel was a converted house with immaculate kitchen, lovely garden, and outdoor hot tub. In the middle of the courtyard was an outdoor log burning fireplace. I sat and read my book there last night and got chatting to a Cuban guy who made me laugh constantly. I thought the language difficulty in South American was difficult but he spent a 4 weeks in China and said he was pulling his hair out, went very hungry, and loved every minute of it. One to add to the list.
