April 3, On the Way to Wellington

Without a doubt, this was the slowest day of the trip so far. It could be summed up like this:

Ø woke up and packed;

Ø had breakfast;

Ø walked around Picton shopping for a few items;

Ø got a taxi to the ferry station (the Interislander);

Ø rode the ferry out of Queen Charlotte Sound and across the Cook Strait;

Ø disembarked the ferry in Wellington, and picked up by driver;

Ø taken to Hotel Bolton and checked in;

Ø ordered dinner and settled in for the evening.

Therefore, I will not try to add any more color to the day. Instead, I will leave you with lots of pictures.

(Poached eggs over kumara. Kumara is a native New Zealand potato: not quite a sweet potato, but not an Idaho.)

(Mural in a Picton mall. We went there to buy some items and to mail postcards.)

(The Picton Wharf in the morning.)

(Kumara chips for the crossing. We ate them with sandwiches we bought in Picton.)

(Waiting for the ride to begin)

(Route of the Interislander Ferry leaving Picton and heading out of Queen Charlotte Sound. Follow the dotted blue line.)

(Route of the ferry across the Cook Strait to Wellington. Follow the dotted blue line.)

(Heading out of Queen Charlotte Sound)

(Heading out of Queen Charlotte Sound)

(Heading out of Queen Charlotte Sound, almost to the Cook Strait.)

(Traversing the Cook Strait)

(Traversing the Cook Strait)

(Traversing the Cook Strait, approaching Wellington)

(Approaching Wellington)

(Approaching Wellington)

(Approaching Wellington)

(Approaching Wellington)

(Approaching Wellington)

(Approaching Wellington)

(Disembarking the ferry)

(Wellington scene near the ferry terminal)

(Wellington scene near the ferry terminal)

(Wellington scene near the ferry terminal)

(The 'Beehive", also know as the building where Parliament convenes and the prime minister has his/her offices.)

(Our Wellington hotel, the Bolton Hotel)