The Crossing Monday 1/21/08

When we started to plan our trip we didn’t know this, so bear with us. New Zealand used to be part of Australia and popped off by itself (along with Antarctica) a couple hundred million years ago. NZ is roughly shaped like a banana with the top pointing off to the northwest and the south leaning to the southwest. About 20 million years ago the top third split away from the bottom two thirds to form the north and south islands.

Today was our day to cross from the bottom of the north island (Wellington) to the top of the south island (Picton) on the inter-island ferry. It is a three hour crossing through the Cook Strait and, oddly enough, we go west to get to the south island. It is like going south to get into Canada from Detroit.

After downing the rest of our north island fruit, we caught a taxi from the hotel at 9:15 for our 10:35 departure and were easily checked in with baggage stowed by 9:30. We were able to snare a chair in the sunshine on the pier until they let us board about 10:00. This 3-hour trip has been described as the most spectacular cruise in the world and that may be no exaggeration. We snapped away but no picture is going to do justice to the beauty of the water, islands and mountains visible all the way.

Mary popped for lunch (tuna salad sandwich for her and she actually got a sausage roll and diet coke for John) and we nibbled while oohing and aahing at the scenery. They had movies going on and a live magician on board for the kids. Our seat-mates were German, he a thirty-eight year old business type and she a 22 year old very-non-business type. We might be reminded of the Teutonic Titwillow (Hey Cowboy) in Blazing Saddles if we were cynical Americans.

After landing in Picton we grabbed another Toyota (like at least a third of all other cars here) and took the twisty back road to Nelson by way of Havelock. Our road followed the hillside looking down on the bay we had just sailed through so we got another look from a higher angle. NZ Coach Bryce had told us to have the Greenlipped Mussels in Havelock but since we had lunch we decided to pound through another hour to Nelson, our stop for the night. When we checked in at our Cedar Grove Motor Lodge we asked about greenlipped mussels and the lady at the desk told us we should have stopped in Havelock. We suggested that perhaps there might be somewhere nearby that could figure out how to get the mussels an hour down the road, and after thinking for a minute she said, "nope." We should learn to listen.

This is a great room with (once again) a bedroom and separate sitting room and kitchen. We wandered into Nelson which is famous as a jumping off point for the glacier-mountain-rock climbing and back-packing crowd that come here from all over the world for outdoor adventure. We, however, have come here for dinner and find Café Affair that specializes in stone grill dining. They bring a tray with a very-very hot stone in the middle and a little beef fillet, shrimp and scallops that you cook yourself to your liking. The idea is better than the actual application and the fries and Aussie Shiraz were the best parts of the meal. Mary opted for the smoked salmon pasta which was amazingly similar to the dish she still blames John for removing from the Lodge menu. Mama was happy so everybody was happy.

A quick stroll around town and back to bed. It will be a long travel day tomorrow as we head down the coast to Franz Josef and the glaciers through an incoming storm.

Bulletin: Our Sydney apartment reservation was screwed up and our one bedroom has now been replaced by a two-bedroom. Any takers for the other bedroom 2/22 – 2/29?

Today's Local Headline: Kiwis say goodbye to Sir Ed The Press (Christchurch) (State funeral today)