I got up nice and early to ensure I was ready for the free shuttle bus to the ferry terminal (a nice YHA perk) The ferry journey from Wellington to Picton is supposed to be a fantastic journey. I was hoping not to be disappointed!
I managed to bag myself a great seat at the front of the ship, with big windows. I ended up sitting next to a lovely French lady who was traveling with her family. After getting settled and as the ferry left the dock I headed outside to get a view of the harbour and Wellington. I met up with an English guy and his daughter, he started to complain of feeling sick, I offered them some sea sickness tablets and he was like ‘oh ‘SeaLegs’ these are our favourite’…..well perhaps you should have bought some then, you feeble numpty! Also he was wearing sandals with socks….😳
The journey was nothing short of spectacular, and that was with low cloud and some rain! You travel round through the Wellington bays and then across the Cook Straight. We saw dolphins! and at one point the captain announced that there was a whale 300 meters of the port side, well by the time we had all jumped up and figured out which side was bloody Port the whale had buggered off! After the cook straight you head through a series of channels like fiords and then into the Queen Charlotte Sound, which was beautiful. I took lots of photos but I really don’t think they captured the colours, which were phenomenal, the greens and yellows on the hills and the sea was the most gorgeous blue/green. It feels so surreal being on such a big ship traveling through such narrow channels, with hills on both sides. We finally arrived into Picton, which also looked amazing. The journey takes 3.5hrs and they are 3.5hrs of pure joy!
Once we arrived I grabbed my luggage and a cheese scone (haha, of course I did!!😂) and waited for the bus which was taking me to Kaikoura. I chatted to a wonderful lady who was 92 and had traveled from Auckland, by train, bus and ferry and was heading to Christchurch another 7hr bus ride to visit family, she was an inspiration, she said she thought this might be her last trip as she did like being reliant on others, she had a walking frame!! Bless her.
The bus trip was another stunning journey, through rolling green hills then past huge black mountains, with snow capped peaks in the background! At one point I had huge snow capped peaks on my right and the ocean and a massive seal colony on my left! Unreal. 😳😍 simply breathtaking.
To get to Kaikoura you travel along highway 1 which hugs the coast just before you come to the town, this is also where the seal colony is. I mention this because on 14th November 2016 at 12.02am the area was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Ruptures occurred along multiple faults and was a very complex quake. The Earthquake caused a huge amount of damage to structures in the town and also along the coast to road and rail links. Had the quake happened during daylight hours there would have been significant loss of life. The NZ road department has worked exceptionally hard to mend the road and travels links, as their loss had a big economic impact in the town. The work they have done and are still doing is remarkable.
Once I arrived in Kaikoura I needed to find my accommodation, which I knew was not far from the bus stop, I asked in a cafe for directions and was met with some degree of incredulity when I said ‘yes I was walking there, yes, with this huge case’! I was given 2 choices, 1. Walk up a short but very steep zig zag path. 2. Go the long way round, still up hill but not as steep. I opted for 1 😳 actually it was not that bad, I stopped to take photos on the way up, and uphill is much easier on my knees than downhill! Even dragging a 20kilo case, a backpack and a handbag! 😂 But it was so worth it!
The accommodation is fine, a basic, clean backpackers (I have a private room with en-suite! I’m not a student!) but the views….OMG! I am running out of superlatives for this place. There is a beautiful green field/garden by the side of the hostel which I can walk on and it takes you up even higher and then offers you a view of breathtaking quality. A misty sea, green hills, and snow capped mountains and sunset colours. Honestly it made me cry. After spending quite a while just soaking in the views, whilst listening to birds and the rumble of the ocean, i headed back to the hostel and then down to town for some dinner, I was pretty hungry by now, my cheese scone being long gone! I headed back down the zig zag hill..😵 and then had to decide between several pubs or a Thai, I decided to go for a pub, as I fancied a glass of wine and went to ‘The Whalers’ a local pub and hot spot (I was reliably informed) well it was pretty empty, it it was only 5.30! I ordered a wine and a burger then sat down to try and write this blog, the WiFi had other ideas…very slow and kept dropping out. My wine and burger were fine, what was not great was the music! Seriously to god, what the fuck is wrong with places in NZ and their music! They were playing the Leona Lewis Classic ‘Cut me open’ but in the style of Lonnie Donegan ! I kid you not…how? Why? Who? Torture! Then we had more classic 1950’s hits. I left and headed up the road to another cafe/diner/pub for another glass of wine, much needed after the assault on my ear drums only to find myself once again back listening to bloody Elvis and other shit bands from the 1950’s What the fuck is going on? Have I fallen through some musical wormhole….? Is there a huge tax on modern music? Have I entered a parallel universe? Answers on a postcard please!
Anyway, once I left the musically challenged town I headed back up Zig Zag Hill and was rewarded for my efforts by the most fabulous star filled sky. I haven’t seen such a stunning sky since I was in Africa, on lake Kariba with Clint. So little light pollution, so beautiful.
So my absolutely fantastic start in South Island looks like it may not last! I have booked to go Whale Watching tomorrow, but have been reliably informed by a local that there is some serious weather, snow, storms due to arrive around 3am! Which means my whale watching is very doubtful, it also means I might be snowed in here! As they are predicting heavy snowfall! Bit gutted about the Whale Watching, but I’m here for a few days so I may get another chance, and really, what can you do. I love a bit of bad weather, just got to roll with it. Apparently there is a fabulous Lodge/ ski resort with spectacular views up on the snow fields that run transport from town, so that’s my current back up plan!
I’ll let you know in the morning.
Kia Ora from stunning South Island
💖🐳🐬❄️🏔
Hereandthereclaire.com 
Love you. I’m so happy your somewhere beautiful x
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It’s truly stunning. Love you. Xx
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Lovely read on a windy rainy Cornish morning, left car window open during night, seats soaked. Hope you get to go whale watching, no better sight than a flute whacking the sea and the boom that goes with it x
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Answers on a postcard please! – classic 😂
I am reading this blog post in reverse having read about the whale watching and snow fields disappointment. Your expressed hope for the next few days is both cute and sad. I feel like I want to warn you of what lies ahead 😢
PS “feeble numpty”🤣🤣
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