Around the World (Again) Wellington to Nelson

Wellington and the crossing 06 Nov

I awoke to the smell of breakfast being cooked, Bill was up early and was making Eggs Benedict for us, he enjoys his cooking does Bill, just like his mother, she had been our school cook and no child ever went hungry with Edna. Later when we got into our teens, Edna was then the district schools dietician, we would often celebrate New Year round at their house, and there was always a great spread on and always the staple for every house in the village a pot of broth.

After breakfast Bill had prepared a full itinerary, visiting some of the main places of interest:
Mount Victoria to get a panoramic view of Wellington
The cable Car up to Kelburn
The Botanical gardens
Then around the new building projects (they are thinking of downsizing)

We started off up Mount Vic, the last time I was here it was blowing a gale, this time it was blowing a gale and raining. We took the compulsory photographs and descended into town.

 

Doesn't it look fun

 

Next was the cable car ride, we joined it at the bottom at Lambton Quay (no longer a quay in fact quite a way from the sea now) up to the top to the Kelburn District .

 

 

 

we visited the museum and took some more photographs (we are getting a dab hand at this tourist lark). Bill had driven the car around to the top and was there to pick us up.

 

The winding engine










The original idea was to walk down to the bottom through the Botanical gardens, but the horizontal rain put paid to that idea. Instead we jumped into the car and descended in the dry to the rose garden, we had thought that no roses would be out, but to our pleasant surprise, there were lots in full bloom.

 

 

 

 













The ducks (European Mallards) had there ducklings and one girlie had discovered that the freshest tastiest shoots could be harvested by walking along the top of the hedge and sticking her head into the bush, clever lass.

I went across the road to the water fall and eternal light; these are to commemorate all those killed when the first two Atom Bombs were dropped on Japan.

Next it was into the Begonia house, this does not as the name would suggest house only Begonias, but all manner of orchids, tropical plants, water lilies, hanging tree plants. It really was a very nice interlude. Next into the café for a flat white (now our standard) and a scone, very tasty it was too.

Bill then drove us around the government district with the seat of government in the Beehive, passing the new art galleries and then out towards home by the harbour with the cruise liners and the inter-island ferries, one  of which had thrown a propeller on the crossing from Picton, thankfully not ours that would take us across the next day.

We then had a look at new building projects that Mary is looking at (she wants to down size, the house they live in once housed, themselves, three lads and three very large Newfoundlanders), I don’t think Bill is 100% convinced.
Then it was back home to drink a few beers, look at old photos and jaw about the past and our friends that we hadn’t seen for many, many years, in Bills case 40.

Bill then cooked a nice evening meal Chicken breast en-croute, carrots and potatoes, as we had to be up early and the beer and wine was taking effect, it was time to call it a day and hit the hay.

Morning dawned, well just about; it was a grey leaden sky as we took the photographs in front of the house.
 A Couple of original Likely Lads

We beat the rush hour traffic down to the ferry terminal, passing the stricken Interisland that was without a propeller, this was to have a bit of a knock on, but more about that later. We arrived at the Bluebridge terminal in plenty of time, got our baggage booked in and were informed; that due to the large volume of freight (taking on extra due to the other ship not being able to transit the Cook Straights) we would be leaving approximately 50 minutes late. Oh shit! This meant we would miss the bus that leaves Picton for Nelson at Midday, no other ones went hat day. Well nothing to be done about it, we said our fond farewells and boarded the ferry.

 

The crossing was windy, blustery but nothing that you could call rough, we too some photos of leaving Wellington and the passage up the Marlborough Sound. We docked and then got the transit coach, asking the driver if we would still make the Nelson bus, he thought that as it should have left already, he thought it very unlikely and he would drop us off at the tourist information. But as we pulled into the Bus station, he said it is still here, I will pull in front and you will be able to catch it. We jumped off the bus and post haste to the waiting bus, to be informed that the bus had been told to wait until all of the ferry passengers booked had been taken on the bus. Well wasn’t that nice?

So it was off we jolly well went passing vineyard after vineyard until we arrived at the bus terminal at Nelson.  Then a Taxi Up the hill to Birte  and Steves, very nice oranges and lemons in the garden by the way.