So I'm back on the road and venturing around the South Island!!! I was looking forward to watching the North Island leave and the South Island arrive outside on the ferry, but as it turns out my sea legs haven't gotten any better over time, and even though the Cook Strait was really very calm, I found myself having to lie down on a bench outside and close my eyes to make it through the first three hours of the trip. Once we'd gotten past the Cook Strait it was all no problem. The sea was as calm as a lake and the scenery was simply stunning. I can only imagine what Captin Cook must have felt as he sailed slowly through the surrounding hills leading into Picton. An absolute treasure of peace and tranquility, still very much unchanged even to this day.
Picton itself is a lovely, tiny picturesque village. It reminded me very much of Coromandel, except a bit bigger. I went for a breathtaking walk to the Snook Track which lead me out onto the end of a hill poking back into the sea the way we'd sailed in. It was a perfect first day on the South Island. The hostel I stayed at provided free chocolate cake and ice-cream in the evening and I went to bed both tired and happy. Unfortunately the ext morning I found that my iPod had gone. It's possible I left it on the Snook Track when I stopped to eat my sandwich, but I didn't actually use it, and I was careful to make sure I hadn't left any rubbish behind, so I believe it may have been stolen. It full effects of this I'm still waiting to feel. My iPod has been a trusty companion for a very long time now, and with so many long bus and plane journeys ahead of me, I'm not looking forward to having just the humm of the engines to keep me company. Although I'm not entirely without music, I did crudely record 4 or 5 jazz albums onto my dictaphone, straight from the stereo, so at least that's something, and they're really good jazz albums!
Next day I get the bus to Blenheim, where Paul is currently staying and working. My first impression of Blenheim is not a good one, it's a bit of a dump to be honest. But it was great to spend a couple of days with Paul, and next time I see him will be in Thailand! He's been working ridiculously hard lately. In the past 28 days he's had 2 days off, and working 12 hour days in a food factory. Hard graft for sure!
Well my internet is playing up so I'm going to post this before it breaks and hopefully continue more soon!
Picton itself is a lovely, tiny picturesque village. It reminded me very much of Coromandel, except a bit bigger. I went for a breathtaking walk to the Snook Track which lead me out onto the end of a hill poking back into the sea the way we'd sailed in. It was a perfect first day on the South Island. The hostel I stayed at provided free chocolate cake and ice-cream in the evening and I went to bed both tired and happy. Unfortunately the ext morning I found that my iPod had gone. It's possible I left it on the Snook Track when I stopped to eat my sandwich, but I didn't actually use it, and I was careful to make sure I hadn't left any rubbish behind, so I believe it may have been stolen. It full effects of this I'm still waiting to feel. My iPod has been a trusty companion for a very long time now, and with so many long bus and plane journeys ahead of me, I'm not looking forward to having just the humm of the engines to keep me company. Although I'm not entirely without music, I did crudely record 4 or 5 jazz albums onto my dictaphone, straight from the stereo, so at least that's something, and they're really good jazz albums!
Next day I get the bus to Blenheim, where Paul is currently staying and working. My first impression of Blenheim is not a good one, it's a bit of a dump to be honest. But it was great to spend a couple of days with Paul, and next time I see him will be in Thailand! He's been working ridiculously hard lately. In the past 28 days he's had 2 days off, and working 12 hour days in a food factory. Hard graft for sure!
Well my internet is playing up so I'm going to post this before it breaks and hopefully continue more soon!