Tuesday 19thManaged to be on time- in fact, early, to catch the ferry which is just as well as it's pretty much fully booked until Feb! A very comfortable ship bit like a cross channel ferry but a much more picturesque crossing. The sun sparkled on the turquoise water….and so on. The best bit was the long steam into the Marlborough Sounds to Picton- an hour of steep wooded inlets, islets and ever changing vistas. Perfect. Arrival at Picton then we headed east along the windy, steep but rewarding Queen Charlotte Drive- more great views.
To Havelock, which we were very excited to find is known as the 'Green Lipped Mussel Capital of the World', and there are some serious contenders for that title, I can assure you. Anyway, we had a lovely lunch of steak and chips- only joking! 2 big bowls of aforementioned mussels with extremely green lips. Loads of food for very little money. We LOVE New Zealand! 
We found our campsite- Smith's Farm, which was on a farm, and the very nice man (Mr Smith) told us of the walk through his cattle meadows into the bush and ending up at a waterfall. Sounded great until the frisky steers (adolescent cows) decided we were easy prey which was slightly unnerving. However we shielded ourselves behind the children and the danger passed. The walk was fab, we felt like explorers. The waterfall was really high like something from a shampoo advert. The campsite is really quiet and we feel like we're at the edge of the world.
We found our campsite- Smith's Farm, which was on a farm, and the very nice man (Mr Smith) told us of the walk through his cattle meadows into the bush and ending up at a waterfall. Sounded great until the frisky steers (adolescent cows) decided we were easy prey which was slightly unnerving. However we shielded ourselves behind the children and the danger passed. The walk was fab, we felt like explorers. The waterfall was really high like something from a shampoo advert. The campsite is really quiet and we feel like we're at the edge of the world.
Monday18th.
Rain had cleared and we had a good run down to Wellington, arriving in time for coffee. We headed straight for Te Papa ('Our Place' in Maori) which is the national museum, a $350 million construction in modern style, all angles and slopes. Very impressive displays on NZs cultural and national heritage including a house in which you could experience a virtual earthquake. We began to flag and found a café for lunch, then did some Christmas shopping! Last chance before we leave city life. The hotel we stayed in was a sight to behold (in a good way!) recently refurbished…they'd had to move 200 yards to make way for the museum so the hotel was called 'The Museum Hotel de Wheels'. It was decorated in an over the top Laurence Llewellyn Bowen on acid style- very eyecatching. We ordered takeaway pizzas (from Hell, again) and slept soundly in real beds.
Rain had cleared and we had a good run down to Wellington, arriving in time for coffee. We headed straight for Te Papa ('Our Place' in Maori) which is the national museum, a $350 million construction in modern style, all angles and slopes. Very impressive displays on NZs cultural and national heritage including a house in which you could experience a virtual earthquake. We began to flag and found a café for lunch, then did some Christmas shopping! Last chance before we leave city life. The hotel we stayed in was a sight to behold (in a good way!) recently refurbished…they'd had to move 200 yards to make way for the museum so the hotel was called 'The Museum Hotel de Wheels'. It was decorated in an over the top Laurence Llewellyn Bowen on acid style- very eyecatching. We ordered takeaway pizzas (from Hell, again) and slept soundly in real beds.
2 comments:
Hi to you all, First thing I did when I got up this morning was to open up to see if there are any blogs, and WOW!!! Will you ever come home again?It all sounds quite fantastic, and its lovely to hear from you again. We are all decorated thanks to Bec and Rob,the turkey waiting to be stuffed. I'm wondering what I have forgotten,you know me!! Went to Eden yesterday,to photograph R R&B,skating great fun.Miller very excited ,having lovely walks in the winter sunshine.Lulu&Lilly very excited too as Bear Robert is here to keep them company. Must go and make the porridge, walk the dog c ollect the papers stuff the turkey etc etc etc luv u lots speak soon xxxxxxxxxxxx
Happy Christmas to you all. We are just about to open the pressies. Turkey in oven and grandparents round later. Zak full of beans.
Looks like you are all having a fab tim.
Happy Birthday for tommorrow Rich.
Love Jackie
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