Leaving the South Island

The day finally came. It was time to head to Picton and get to the Ferry. But we had time to kill so we took our time packin up the Saab and taking off. The only interesting/kind of funny thing that happened that night was apparently we didn't stake down the outer shell of the tent too well, so in the middle of the night I was woken up by Katie to find that the shell had been blown completely off and we were pretty exposed. Luckily the sky was fairly clear and it wasn't raining. So I had to dash around and re-stake everything back down. It was a lot of fun!

I forgot to mention we were by a little lake and we got to feed some ducks in the morning

We got to Picton with time to kill so we walked around to some of the shops and got a bite to eat. Then it was time to load onto the ferry and head back to Wellington. It was a gorgeous day.

The Interislander is to the left (you can barely see it)

Leaving the harbor

I think this was my final view of the South Island, not sure.

The only highlight on the ride was I got a Speights Old Dark at the bar (one of my favorite beers, brewed in Dunedin) and it was delicious. I also got to sleep which was pretty tasty as well. Other than that it was pretty uneventful.

We got to Wellington and everyone was pretty wiped. We had a six hour drive ahead of us and it wasn't going to be fun. We had been crammed in that little Saab for the past week and it was getting pretty stuffy and claustrophobic. But I guess what was six more hours at that point? 

Well we got home around 11 o clock and took out most of our shit from the Saab and headed in. I was pretty tired but it was nice to see Damien's (a flatmate) smiling face as he was awaiting our return. I'm pretty sure we just went to bed after that.

The South Island was an experience I will never forget and I'm sure I will be visiting it many times in my dreams in the years to come. I hope one day to return and pick up where I left off exploring its beauty and wonder. I truly hope its wonders are preserved by human efforts for years and years to come so my children will be able to enjoy it in their lifetime as well. It was one of the best car rides I've had yet and I'm sure that beautiful bitch the Saab got her moneys worth as well in her final trip. The experiences have inspired me to continue to try to travel where ever I can and when ever I can no matter the circumstance. 

Going with the flow is the best way to do it. We didn't always have a plan but we always made it work. That's what made it fun and that's what made it worth it. I truly hope this was just the beginning for me because experiences like this are incredibly addicting. Ending these South Island posts stir emotions in me that make me miss our time there. No regrets.

From baby seals, to glaciers, to rushed hungover mornings, to jumping out of planes, to catching salmon, to windy roads in the mountains, to mapping on the go, to internet at McDonalds, to stargazing, to Sassin Saabs that fuss, to cramming into that bitch, to "our best pack yet,"to unplanned camping spots, to cold ass nights, to drunken bar hops, to Weka's and Keas, to motels, to rainy days and sunny days, to ducks and lakes, to wine, to beer, to Andre, to hot springs, to three person tents, to sunsets at military bases, to bathing like three times, to bathing in lakes, to jaw dropping scenes, to Fjordlands, to waterfalls, to blue pools, to dunes and spits, and to new friendships I'd say it was one hell of a  journey. 

Date 4/18/12 (18/4/12)