Day 7 - Wellington to Christchurch via The Interislander Ferry and The Coastal Pacific Tranzrail

Today was a full day of travel, although the means by which we traveled were very comfortable. We breakfasted at the hotel and arranged a taxi to the ferry dock. We had  booked passage on the Interislander Ferry, Arahura, in advance (a phone call from the states). It is a very large ferry capable of accommodating 126 cars and almost 1000 passengers. Our luggage was checked all the way through to Christchurch and it was nice not to have to hassle with it all day. The trip from Wellington to Picton, on the South Island, is a very scenic 3 hour tour. The best seats are towards the front of the ship where there are reclining couch-like chairs surrounding cocktail tables nestled up against the prime viewing windows. These seats go fast (to those who know about them), so we were not so lucky, but we still managed to find nice seats next to a large window. And passengers are free to wander about the ship, including up on various top decks. Though this day it was very windy up on the top deck. So much so that it was difficult to hold the camera steady, especially with the constant bob and sway of a ship on the open ocean. I would estimate that the winds were in excess of 60 mph, and we are accustomed to high winds back home.

Once in Picton, we disembarked and had sandwiches and a beer at 'The Toot-n-Whistle' adjacent to the train station. The Coastal Pacific leg of the New Zealand Tranzrail is a scenic and comfortable ride down to Christchurch. Some of the scenery resembles that of Alaska, with high mountains encroaching on the sea, creating rugged coastlines. And then the country will turn to ranchland where sheep and red deer are raised. We had pleasant company with a woman traveling to visit her daughter in Kaikoura. I wish we would have had time to stop and see some of the wildlife that makes this small town such a destination. As it was we saw sea lions from the train window as we zoomed by.

We arrived in Christchurch around 6:00pm and had no problem finding a taxi to cart us off to the Villa Victoria B&B. The taxi ride was quite exciting being that it was our driver's first day on the job. Try to picture an American reading a map of an unfamiliar city and attempting to direct a driver that also did not know where they were going and having difficulties with a vehicle with which they had only been driving for one day! Alas, we arrived into the care of Kate McNeill and her endless charm. Our room (the Lavender Room) was beautifully appointed and we settled in quickly. That evening we stepped out to the Merivale area of Christchurch for a relaxing dinner and good wine!