Blog #12 Leaving the North Island – Picton, South Island

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Blog #12 Leaving the North Island – Picton, South Island – November 27 – 28 – 29, 2010

After three great weeks on the North Island, we turned our faces south. We drove to Wellington, capital of New Zealand, and located at the south end of the North Island. We stopped in Greytown to purchase lunch from a French Bakery, and ate our lunch in our usual picnic style, accompanied by the inevitable chickens which seem to inhabit road side scenic reserves. Arriving in Wellington: an afternoon in the Te Papa museum was edifying, an evening ‘people watching’ near Courtenay Place was entertaining, and a great dinner at the One Red Dog restaurant was filling. It was a lovely sunny day in Wellington, and very calm. For a town nicknamed ‘Windy Welly’, this was unusual. Now, most of us have had the experience of opening a door and having the wind jerk it out of our grasp, but this must be commonplace in Wellington. I had to photograph another new sign – about doors and wind warnings!

Next morning - off to the ferry. Waiting in line is always a good chance to catch up on the blog. There were numeous school groups on the ferry who were going to the South Island for school trips in the Marlborough Sounds and Abel Tasman areas. It was quite interesting to visit with some of the teachers and learn about the NZ school system.

We arrived in Picton and found our way to Juggler’s Rest, a great backpackers run by a woman who spins fire and does various other ‘circus arts’. One night she, Emily and a third woman did some fire spinning which was pretty neat to see. In the photo, Emily is the fire spinner on the left. A local craftsman in Picton makes juggling balls, and so Emily and Jim bought a set for each of us. I am getting better at juggling!

While in Picton we picked up the necessary supplies before heading out on our tramp. The first ‘chemists’ didn’t have moleskin, so I purchase a package of ‘tramper’s friend’ i.e. a package of wool. I did find that it worked well for spreading in between my toes and around the back of my heels – I managed three days hiking with no blisters – a record! We went hiking on the lovely tracks in and around Picton and Jim found yet more fern trees to photograph. After repacking we got a good night’s sleep before setting off for the Queen Charlotte Track!

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Comments

[Suzanne Tredger]

I wonder if they sell this in Canada? It looks like it would be great.

[Ivan & Karen]

We're in travel awe!!
Hello Jim, Carol and Emily: We have been following your travels on and off. I just finished viewing your last 4 blogs and I am extremely envious at this moment. All is well here in Red Deer but we don't have shorts and t-shirt weather. Thanks for keeping up the great blogs, it is so interesting to hear from someone you know as they explore far-away places. Ivan & Karen