Goodbye to the South Island

Unfortunately all good things must come to an end.  Ahead awaits the north island, which, judging by what I have been told by south island locals, really stinks. 

I spent my second last day on the south island in Abel Tasman National Park, where I had kayaked just a day before.  I really wanted to walk on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, which is one of New Zealand's 9 great walks.  It usually takes a couple days, but an aqua taxi can take you to anywhere on the track..  so I booked one!  I walked from Bark Bay to Anchorage Bay, the most popular stretch on the track.  It was a pretty enjoyable walk.. 12km, took just over 3 hours..  It takes you uphill quite a bit, which my left knee did not enjoy at all..  but you get some really nice beach shots from above.  All in all it was nothing compared to the Milford or the Routeburn, but it was pretty cool in its own way.

The next morning I was off on a bus to Picton, which is where I caught a ferry to Wellington.  The ferry was HUGE - very likely the largest boat I have ever been on.  The ride takes you through the Marlborough Sounds, which were advertised to me as 'amazing' and 'spectacular'..  which they kind of were, but it was quite cloudy, so I did not spend too much time on the observation deck above.  I went down to the bar and discovered that their pints were quite cheap!  The cheapest I have ever had the pleasure to consume anywhere in New Zealand so far!  Obviously this is where I spent the rest of the 4 hour long trip.  Along the way I met some friends..  2 Aussies and a German who were discussing the tv show The Wire, so I obviously had to chime in with my own views..  and observations..  and other such things.  By the way, if you haven't seen The Wire yet, you really should.

Wellington was really cloudy and slightly rainy.  I took the cable car up to the Botanic Gardens, which were nifty, took a peek at the 'Beehive' (The NZ parliment - building looks like a beehive), checked out the hip Cuba Street, walked around downtown a bit, saw this and that, returned to my hostel, and booked a train ride to the National Park (I'm pretty sure this park has a longer name, but everyone just calls it National Park) where I would do the Tongariro crossing.  Exhausted, I crashed early.

So that's it for the south island..  I'll miss it!  I've now spent a couple days on the north, and it's pretty cool in itself..  but the south has been far superior..  so far