It was a little cold outside when my brother & I checked out of Accents On The Park hostel at 0730 the next morning. We headed towards the Intercity Bus Terminal, walking through a deserted town centre. With plenty of time to spare, I bought a drink & two cookies from a nearby Subway. It was supposed to be one cookie but the lady behind the counter misheard & gave me two. My brother & I sat on a bench and waited for our bus to arrive. When it did arrive at 0830, a large crowd of passengers had formed. Once the bus driver confirmed that we were on the list, we boarded the bus and waited to depart. The driver introduced himself over the intercom when we were underway and explained the plan of the trip.
The bus ride was mostly quiet because everyone was still tired & sleeping. We drove up & down the same hills towards the wine town of Blenheim. Along the way, the driver played tour guide, explaining the local natural & rural history. We pulled into Blenheim after two hours of travel. Since the bus was continuing on to Picton, my brother & I didn't have to get off. Of course, those travelling south towards Kaikoura & Christchurch have to disembark and wait for another bus.
The small town of Picton is a remote community located on the northern tip of the South Island. It's main purpose is to serve as the South Island's port for the InterIslander Ferry. The North Island's port is the capital city of Wellington. Every day, three ferries sail between the islands, transporting cars, trucks, passengers, and various cargo. Once in Picton, we were dropped off at the InterIslander Ferry Terminal at 1040. Even though the ferry wouldn't arrive & depart until 1310, my brother & I decided to get our boarding passes early, and let my brother check in his heavy suitcase. With that out of the way, we left the terminal & explored the town.
The ferry arrived on time, slowly turning around, and then backing into the main dock. Forty-five minutes were needed for passengers & vehicles to disembark, and for the ship's crew to restock supplies. Getting onboard required walking through an air bridge like at the airport, and people with cars were instructed to lock their doors & make sure their vehicles were in park before proceeding to the passenger decks. With everyone safely onboard, the Captain set sail for the city of Wellington, just 3 hours away.
The wind started to pick up when the ferry was up to speed, prompting me to put on gloves. I was thankful that I was wearing a turtleneck & a heavy sweater because the gusts can become really cold at times. Despite the cold wind, the day was sunny & partly cloudy. After enjoying the scenery on Deck 10, I descended below to explore the other decks. The ferry has many facilities spread across 10 decks for passengers to explore & enjoy. These include: movie theatre, bar, lounge, daycare, cafe, cafeteria, gift shop, private lounges, and observation decks.
To be honest, I'm not much of a mariner, so it was awkward trying to walk around the boat because it slowly rocked from side to side. There were moments when I thought I was going to fall over. The rocking motion is subtle but you feel it . . . and if you don't get used to it, your stomach will feel it too. There're sea sickness bags everywhere but I had Gravol by my side. Throughout the 3 hour trip, I didn't see one passenger run for an air sickness bag. After snacking on an expensive sandwich I bought from the cafe, my brother & I wobbled over to the bar for a Coke & Smirnoff Ice. There happened to be a football (soccer) game on a tv so we found a place to sit and watched the end of the match.
A 'big' moment (also a little surreal) in the voyage was when the ferry entered Cook Strait, the sea between the North & South islands. I happened to be in the forward observation room when the captain made the announcement. The people in the room became transfixed on the 'gateway' we had to pass to enter the Strait, snapping pictures or looking ahead like deer caught in headlights. Of course, there were passengers who just found a spot on the ferry & slept for the whole voyage.
The crossing of the Cook Strait was uneventful except for the gentle rocking of the boat. After some time, the land known as the North Island came into view. At first, the land was just green mountains but slowly, man-made structures such as power lines, telephone towers, and bungalows started to appear. Then the ferry turned inland and everyone could see the sprawling neighbourhoods of Strathmore Park, Seatoun Heights, and Scorching Bay. Once the ship sailed around Mount Crawford, a lot of passengers came up to the Observation deck to photograph the Wellington City skyline.
The ferry docked just north of the industrial port and Westpac Stadium. When my brother picked up his suitcase we exited the terminal and headed towards the YHA Hostel. Rather than spend the money on a bus or cab, we chose to walk the distance, which took us about 30 minutes. On the way we passed various city landmarks that I was bound to visit & photograph the next day. By the time we arrived at our hostel, the sun was setting, and our legs were aching from the long walk. I dropped my backpack on the floor and collapsed on my bed, giving my feet a rest and checking for any blisters. We made it to the capital; another city to explore.
To Be Continued . . .
(Post 4 of 10)
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