I would like to preface this blog entry by reminding you (and me) that I only had 4 hours of sleep after my big night out, and the next night I only managed to get about 6 hours before I had to catch the ferry. So I was definitely running low on sleep and recovery time. After waking up, I got on a 3 hour ferry ride where conditions were not completely favourable (choppy seas) and then, to top it all off, got back on the Magic bus, which follows the curviest, most twisty roads I've ever seen at top speeds. Excuses aside, I have now experienced my first 2 day hangover. And like a sane person, my response is NEVER. AGAIN.
The ferry ride across the Cook Strait is supposed to be one of the prettiest crossings in the world. I took the word of the tour guides and books and slept through the first hour as we departed Wellington. No regrets though, since we have to come back up to the North Island at the end of our tour. I was finally convinced to leave my seat when the PA announced free Earl Grey tea testings on Deck Seven. Free tea? Hell yes. (I chose Number 4 as the best new flavour). Since we were already up, we headed up to the observation deck and were astounded at the lovely green hill and islands jutting out into the ocean. It is a truly spectacular route as the ferry works its way through the fjords towards Picton. Just before we arrived, the captain came on the PA system and announced dolphins swimming along side us on the starboard side. Luckily that's where we were sitting, and we were able to watch them jump and frolic for a while before swimming off somewhere else. It was quite a fantastic Sunday morning.
When we departed the ferry, the Magic Bus picked us up. Our new driver's name was Allen, and he had big shoes to fill after how amazing Kate was. He took us south through the Marlborough wine region, where we got to taste some really great white wines (what the region is famous for) and it only cost us two dollars. Not even a hangover can dissuade me from 2 dollar wine.
We arrived in Nelson that afternoon, and I had pretty high expectations for the town since it was where my cousin Patrice chose to settle down when she came to New Zealand. Unfortunately for us, we came to Nelson on a Sunday, and while the town seemed like it had potential, everything was closed. We made dinner in our hostel, but were feeling really restless so we went out for a beer. The first pub we went to was a Mac's place - Mac's is one of my favourite New Zealand beer breweries and they had everything on tap (yay for Sassy Red and Great North!) Later on, we were wandering around town (ghost town) when we stumbled upon some wonderfully boring, stereotypical Americans. I'm sure they were quite nice, but one of them had no idea how to say Trafalgar, which is the main street in Nelson and we made fun of him for it for quite a while. They convinced us to come to the only happening place in town (it wasn't, really) and ordered bad beer, then made awkward conversation for the next hour. Between Chantal and myself, we can pretty much have a great conversation with anyone. Not these lovely men. Oh well. At least they made the night more memorable.
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