Wednesday

It was good to wake up and the sun was still shinning!

We were quickly packed up, lunch made and on our way.

Oops! Jon paid the bill and I thought I had unlimited wi-fi!! Wrong! Fortunately, I hadn't done too much damage and over the three days it was $22.

The journey to Picton ferry terminal is only an hour and a half but over some high mountains with winding roads but very pretty.

We stopped in Havelock, the 'green lipped mussel castle of the world'. Too early to try but I am not keen on them anyway as they are too big. So we had a delicious coffee and muffin in a Swiss cafe.

We continued along the road to Blenheim where we had spent our first night but forgot to buy a magnet. Sadly they are out of stock till 1 May.

We got to the ferry and checked in and then just waited in line to board. The lorries take the longest and the cars are all on in a matter of minutes and before you get up to the deck you are on your way.

We were very lucky on our fourth crossing as we had sun and cloud and the Queen Charlotte Sound looked magnificent.

It was very calm and we sailed past the mussel beds and salmon farms and little housed dotted up in the mountains,I have no idea how they get to them! Tiny secluded beaches with golden sand and lovely blue water. I took lots of photos.

It was pretty calm all the way out of the sound and for most of the way across the Cook Strait. Jon went down to one of the lounges to have a read and a40 winks and I stayed on deck until it became quite windy and bumpy.

I found Jon and we decided to go and have a cup of tea and a scone and by now it was rolling around quite a lot but the scone was very good.

Jon went back to the lounge and I went back out on deck, I prefer to be outside. It as by now very close to Wellington harbour and Wellington is not called Windy Wellington for nothing. I could hardly stand up and was pretty much on my own tucked away in a corner of the deck.

Once the ship turned into the harbour proper the wind died down a little and soon we were docking and were told to go to our vehicles.

We drove off the ferry and had decided to drive to Levin which is about a two hour drive and this would leave us five hours left of the journey.

Unfortunately, the traffic was really bad and it seemed to take forever to get to Levin and by the time we did it was dark. We stopped at the first motel we came to and got a room which although not up to the standard of some of the others we have stayed in was fine, clean and on the ground floor so no need to lug cases upstairs.

Jon went out to find some dinner and came back with fish and chips which was OK. I felt so tired I could not keep my eyes open and fell asleep at about 8.00. I woke just before 9.00 and went to bed and slept right through.