Wellington to Nelson

This morning, I crossed the Cook Strait from the North Island to the South Island. It was an early rise, the ferry left at 8 am and check-in deadline was 7 am. We left Wellington just as the sun was coming up, but it wasn't yet strong enough to warm me up on deck so I put on a sweater and a jacket and spent the entire crossing outside in the lovely fresh air. I also enjoyed a lovely cappuccino with a sandwich I bought yesterday as I watched Wellington disappear in our wake. I made the same crossing about six years ago, only with a different ferry company, but I remember the scenery along the Marlborough Sound on the South Island being quite breathtaking - and it still was.

Arriving in Picton, there was a local shuttle bus to collect the checked baggage and transfer over to the Interislander ferry terminal to catch the bus to Nelson. The bus trip went through Marlborough wine country (worth NZ$1 billion in exports, according to the bus driver!) and over the mountains, which was quite picturesque.

Trying to locate the hostel, I was immediately assisted by two very friendly female locals. One of them offered to walk me to the doorstep as she was going in that direction anyway. They say the Kiwis are a friendly bunch. I haven't had that much in-depth interaction with them, but I will certainly confirm that statement based on my experience in Nelson! I was actually looking forward to getting to know some locals using AirBnB, but the prices on there are comparable with official accommodation, so no financial gains to be had.

I am less impressed with this hostel than the one in Wellington. The location is perfect, right in the city centre within walking distance of everything, but there are young people milling around barefoot and it's not my kind of vibe. I'm not sure what the social etiquette is in this kind of environment, and I expect to be kept awake by loud music, slamming doors, and shouting tonight. I haven't stayed in this type of establishment in decades and I haven't missed the experience. I'm also discovering that only females can choose to live in same-sex dorms (maybe that is why most of the guests here are female?), whilst us men are discriminated - as usual - and can only choose mixed dorms. Not that I would anyway, bad enough that I have to share ablution space with the hoi polloi, I draw the line at sharing sleeping quarters. One does have one's standards, after all.

The guy working in reception seemed to be the result of decades of inbreeding. The wi-fi doesn't work in my room, so I have to sit in the public area. There are not many showers and toilets, but there seems to be loads of people staying, so this should be interesting.

To cheer me up, good old booking.com sent me an offer to upgrade my room at my next destination, from a single room with shared bath to a twin room with en-suite and TV - for only NZ$15 for three nights! That was a total no-brainer, and I look forward to having my own facilities for the first time in New Zealand.

It's been yet another glorious sunny day, but the weather forecast for the next few days threatens rain... Even though this is the sunniest region in NZ! Well I suppose my luck could never last for ever, rain keeps this country green and lush, so bring it on. Maybe it'll turn out to be an April Fool's joke and the sun will shine again tomorrow!

In Nelson, I will visit the "Centre of New Zealand" and the supposedly famous Saturday market. The major destination around here seems to be the Abel Tasman National Park, but I will give that a miss. From what I have pieced together, you first need to take a one-hour bus ride for NZ$20 each way, then a boat along the coast for another NZ$70. I am happy to support the economy in this beautiful country, but that is what we Brits call a "piss-take". There is also a vintage train line running on weekends, I might check that out as it is affordable but very short.