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We had a great two days taking the ferry from Picton to Wellington, spending a night and then returning the next day.
Leaving Nelson at 6-30am was not that great considering it was dark, cold and raining and i had to drive up and over a mountain range but...
Arrived safe and sound in Picton which is the little town just north of Blenheim from which the Interislander Ferries cross between the south and the north islands of New Zealand.
Picton is a very neat and tidy town with a great little water front area and a small marina and a huge deep water port for the large ferries.
There are four to five crossings each day, each way, which can all be booked and paid for over the net, just choose the time you prefer and arrive ready to depart. You can take your car, you just drive it on to one of the lower decks, below this deck is the train deck with many wagons loaded on for each voyage.
We crossed from south to north on the Aratere, which had a great bar at the very front of the ship and an outside
front viewing area. We left at around 9-30am and had a very calm crossing with near perfect conditions. It was very cold on the open deck but inside the ship irt was warm and there was heaps to do, watch TV, book into a movie, visit the bars, the cafe, the children's play area, the club lounge, take time out in the work station rooms or just do nothing for three hours.
The sun shone, we could easily see all the little bays along the way, fantastic voyage.
Wellington was fun for two days and a night. Catch the free shuttle bus from the quay to the railway station, we walked, it was manageable but long and boring.
So up town we trod, Wellington has quite a lot of shops here and there and confusing little side streets and back ways. Cable buses are the main mode of transport and are easy to work out how to use. An all day tripper is $3-, great value.
We stayed at the Willis Lodge Hotel which is at the upper end of the CBD, great little place.
That afternoon we visited the Wellington zoo which is the oldest
zoo in NZ. They are really making an effort to modernise the place with new exhibits, and many more under construction. Cost is $15- per adult and you get to see lions, tigers, giraffes, zebras, heaps of birds, snakes and other reptiles, chimpanzees, babboons, monkeys, and other animals which i can't all list. The zoo is set up on the hills in Newtown an easy bus ride from the main CBD.
The next morning we took up walk along Cuba Street which is where you go shopping if you do not want to see another mass produced item or chain store. Loads of little eateries, interesting shops and "Groovy music" a music shop with a difference which has all the CD's, DVD's and LP's both new and second hand that you usually have to source via amazon or E Bay. much money was spent there.
The afternoon's entertainment was at Te Papa the national museum of NZ. Te Papa means our place and it is a truly amazing museum. The best i have ever seen and we have seen a few in our times so much so that i have often been begged to stay away from any
more museums when we go on holidays. It has been built on the waterfront right in the CBD with five stories of free, hands on and full on exhibits.
All ages will be entertained with lots for the kids to do in separate areas as well as the main areas, a great program of educational talks and things to do is offered each day as well as guided talks and many volunteers waiting to answer any questions you may have. It is heated to a pleasant 21 degrees, has a free coat and goods storage facility, great gift shops and cafes. A must see if you are in Wellington.
We toook the Arahura back for an early evening crossing back to Picton, this shi has a person capacity of 967 people. Another smooth crossing and an easy drive back to Nelson that night.
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