Paradise

That's where I am - 'Paradise Found'... only thing missing is you guys... I'm on the South Island now, and it just gets better. I enjoyed Wellington, my last stop in the North Island - had a lovely walk on the Southern Walkway above the capital. These walks are very well signposted - only I could get lost on them - but am still finding it a great way to get to chat to people (a scary-looking big guy [rugby player?] helped me out on this one - real gentleman despite appearances!). I also found a great sports bar one evening and watched the cricket while eating shepherds pie and drinking Smirnoff Ice...
The ferry trip is like a Channel crossing for the first hour until you reach the coast of the South Island, when it becomes magical - you head inland through fjord-like passageways of water between towering hills and islands. These are the Marlborough Sounds - formed by river beds due to the land rising from the movement of tectonic plates. The weather was misty, which just added to the atmosphere. A young Wellingtonian guy added to my day by giving me a historical and geographical commentary. It was a shame to arrive, really!
Picton is a small town on a little harbour, and is delightful. I saw the New Year in on the waterfront in company with the whole town, I think, and a band playing 'babyboomer' classics. And I entered 2008 first, folks! (Fiji is West, apparently, so New Zealand IS the first country to reach the new year). Beat y'all to it! Happy New Year to you all, anyway!
Picton is the starting point for the Queen Charlotte Walkway - the whole walk is 71 km so there are huts to stay in on the way. These are already full at this time of year, though, so you can get a boat to a start point and get picked up further along the walk a few hours later, which is what I did, travelling on the mail boat, which also stops at various jetties to - guess - yes, deliver the mail! This was a fabulous day's walking - up and down and rocky enough to be interesting, but not TOO challenging; all with great views of the Queen Charlotte Sound. The second picture shows a view from the walk. Reminiscent of Guernsey cliffwalks?
The weather, after a disappointing start to my NZ trip, has now changed to brilliant, hot sunshine. I am in heaven! I decided to blow some Christmas money on hiring a car for a week, so that I could reach places the Magic Bus doesn't go, and it is a great success thus far. True freedom! And fun to drive an automatic again. It's reasonably cheap (about 100 pounds for the week) but that's not sustainable for the whole trip, obviously. Yesterday I drove from Picton along the north coast, stopping on impulse to do an hour's circular cliff walk. I know, that doesn't seem to make sense, but it was a promontory, really. It was just perfect - blazing sunshine interspersed with shady glens. I couldn't believe how lucky I am. I just keep thinking 'Wow'. That's probably the full extent of my vocabulary - my brain has started to shut down, I think. I attempted an 'easy' sudoku the other day and had to give up - so I've now bought a whole book of 'em and am trying to exercise my brain regularly. It's easier to carry than my book, too - I like to have something to occupy me as I laze in the sunshine on a snack break on my walks - but why have I started reading a 900-page book? It's a good one, but weighs a TON!! Today I've driven to Motueka, a start point for Abel Tasman National Park walks. I decided to drop in on Nelson on the way, and discovered a jazz festival in progress. What serendipity! Is there anything better than listening to jazz in hot sunshine? I don't think so... although some of you 'folkies' may disagree!
Thanks again for all your comments and news. Once again, hope you don't mind that I only reply sporadically, I do appreciate them so much...
Off to pack my day bag for Abel Tasman tomorrow. Sweet as...
A la prochaine!

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