We get up early to catch the ferry to Picton. The Cook Strait crossing can be a little dicey due to southerly winds (like northerlies in the northern hemisphere), but we have a beautiful day and the three-hour crossing is uneventful. Coming through Tory Sound into Picton, Michael and I are both reminded of ferry rides in the San Juan Islands near Seattle. The ferry is a huge ship that was once a cruise ship in Poland, so is very fast and stable. We are finally on the South Island! Upon arrival at the ferry terminal there is a van waiting to take guests to The Villa, the backpacker’s hotel where we are registered. When we get to the van it is already full of passengers and luggage, so a girl in a competitors van
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