Bye North Island - Hello South Island

06 – 07th February: in Wellington

We spent the night on a car park camping in Wellington. Worst camping ever in the rain, without toilets BUT we did have the best Beef Wellington in town (btw Beef Wellington is English not NZ).

Due to the rain we visited some free exhibitions at “Te Papa” (the museum of Wellington). The exhibition of “Gallipolli – Scale of war” was very impressive. Weta created the soldiers. They looked so real – we got goosebumps!!

In the afternoon we took the Interislander (Ferry) to cross over to Picton.

+ Upgrade with all you can eat & drink.

– The weather was too bad so we could not really enjoy the view of the sounds.

08th February: Havelock – Nelson

It was soo cold in Picton!

Monty broke down so that we had to call the AA. The battery was empty (our fault: we ‘did not unlock’ the engine.)

On our way through the beautiful Sounds we stopped at Havelock to have NZ famous mussels. They were huge …! In the beginning they were delicious and then we looked at them. Wrong! We could not eat them anymore afterwards…never look at mussels when you eat them!

We spent the night at very nice simple campground next to the ocean (Tasman)...great view but it was soooooo cold!!

09 – 10th February: Abel Tasman Park, Waitapu River Bridge and Farewel Split (Whale rescue)

Roadtrip through Abel Tasman Park right to the eye of the kiwi at Farewel Spit (beautiful green hills, a great cliff and loads of sheep)

Did free camping at the Waitapu River Bridge next to the river (…watch the high tide!) where we had a lovely evening with very nice Dutchies (Derk, Miriam and Lunamay :)).

That night 419 pilot whales stranded at Farewel Split. We went there the next to morning to help rescuing the whales. Unfortunately 75% already died and we could not really help until the flood came back. Derk and Miriam stayed and could at least help a little bit. We had to leave to Blenheim.

Blenheim Wine & Food Festival

Great festival with Clare, Abby and Joshua

First earthquake (well, I felt it…it felt like someone shaking Monty)