We left the motorhome site and motored 100 metres to the ferry! The motorhomes come in all shapes and sizes but this one had a family of four on board —Dad, Mum and two boys of about eight and six! We think the kids sleep upstairs and D&M down! The “jucy" vans all have great inscriptions on their side, this being one of our favourites.

It was a bright cloudy day, not the full sun of the previous two days, but the sea was flat and the rain held off until we reached Picton, South Island.  We had been told by many that the coast and backdrop of the hills  would be stunning and it certainly lived up to expectations. We went out of Wellington Harbour

and out towards Pencarrow Point (we had seen Molesworth Street in Wellington)

Approaching South Island the ferry lined up the two leading marks (the two tiny white posts on the land in the centre of the picture) to go into Tory Sound—a case of following the transit and then turning hard left before hitting the shore

Up Tory Sound and then round into Queen Charlotte Sound

very beautiful and the amateur photography does not really do it justice. We approached Picton and berthed alongside the Inter Islander Ferry ( the alternative ferry company)

We went into Picton for a quiet lunch——it was heaving with people. What we had not realised was that the cruise ship 'Voyager of the Seas' which had been in Wellington the day before had made a night passage to Picton and disgorged her 2,000 passengers into this tiny town!

By this time it was raining and we drove a short distance to a camp site (Momorangi Camp Ground) where we stayed dry in the Mighty whist the heavens opened all night.