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Published: February 19th 2008
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It's a treat driving in this country cause having driven the west coast of Australia, distances don't seem far unless you've to do about a 1000km in one day- which never happens here. The only thing slowing us down are the windy roads. We arrived in Picton to stay in a lovely hostel called "Tombstone". It's so nice to stay in places where the owners are still enthusiastic about their business because it makes your stay so much better. This hostel is themed on the graveyard notion because it's across the road from one so it has a door shaped like a coffin lid & quirky little things about the hostel that build on the theme. That said though, the owners were lovely & helpful in organising our trek....not to mention the free breakfast so can't say enough nice things about the place!
Picton is a small town, known mainly by backpackers because the ferry to the north island leaves from here. However it is also the gateway to the Marlborough Sounds. This is where the peninsula juts out in a peculiar shape at the northern tip of the south island & there are amazing views of the water all
Neighbours
Everybody needs good neighbours around as you walk along the it. The walk on the peninsula itself is called the Queen Charlotte Track & is 71km in total & can be walked over a number days or done in sections, depending on time & enthusiam for walking! We decided to do it over 3 days, so we took the boat out to Ship Cove & off we went. It's very well organised....all you have to carry is your day-pack & the boat brings your food & overnight gear to your hostel. So we trekked through the forest with glimpses of the spectacular aqua-marine water along the path. What was nice about this walk was that we knew it was never going to be greater than 500m high so that in itself was a comfort.....can walk forever now.....just don't appreciate too much climbing! Also there is no fear of snakes crossing your path.....often times we'd be out walking in Australia & clapping hands, banging rocks or/& singing to warn snakes off- so one less hazard to worry about.
We were blessed with the weather cause the water was gleaming with the pure blue sky overhead & it's much nicer walkingin the sunshine too. The
Andy Roddick
Winner of the tournament....what a serve! first night we stayed at a cove in the middle of nowhere in a hostel, well actually it was a caravan cause no room elsewhere for us. It was so peaceful, water lapping on the shore & I had a little kayak before dinner on my own & felt like I was in another world. Just the green hills & the water as my companion. Was nice.
Day 2 was more of the same....walking. We must have looked like "energiser bunnies" on speed cause Grace was eager to get there early in the day to catch the sun so we were walking at break-neck speed...no exaggeration. When we arrived it we were awarded with a sweet deal.....had a small 2-bed house to ourselves for the night....clean, new & no other snoring backpackers (....mostly men for the record!).
Day 3 we finished our walk in plenty of time for our boat back to Picton. It seemed at the beginning of each day walking though that the hills upward were never-ending & on the last day it took a lot of mental coaxing to keep going, going, going up to the top cause it felt like it was never going
Friends from home
After a day at the tennis & a belly-full of Vietnamese food & ice-cream! to stop. It was great getting to the end- a nice sense of achievement & it was a beautiful walk, if that's what you're in to!
So it was back to Picton for the night. Before we went walking we went to mass in this tiny little church in Picton, greeting the local priest as we entered. There was a great sense of community in it & even though the congregation was small, they sang hymns from the projector overhead & didn't resort to a CD. The opening hymn was a common one sang at home but it was new to them & we must have sang it about 5 times while waiting for mass to begin so that "we'd have it right for Easter".....suppose you had to be there but it was very funny cause Grace & I knew it well..... so we sang it again & again & now we know it really well!! Pity we won't be there for Easter for the "unveiling". The day we left Picton I thought it was Ash Wednesday for some reason so checked out of hostel early to get mass but turns out I was a week ahead of myself.....didn't
Friends
One that loves me regardless! take us that long to cotton-on when the only ejjits sitting in the pews were me & Grace. Turns out we didn't miss Pancake Tuesday afterall!
So that was lovely Picton. We'll be going back there at some stage to get the ferry onwards so looking forward to it.
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