After Tongariro we drove four hours to Wellington. The drives here are extremely challenging due to VERY windy roads. When the signs give you a warning of 15 kph (9 MPH), you MIGHT be able to visualize what we are driving. Bridges are for only one car at a time. You have to stop and wait for cars coming the opposite direction to cross and then you may proceed. Almost every road in New Zealand is windy, with very sharp turns and sometimes steep cliffs off to one side.
Nothing is a straight shot, and cruise control is pointless here. The speed limit posted is primarily 100 kph (60 mph.) In the states you can drive 20-30% faster than the posted speed limit and still feel safe. Here, their speed limit is THE LIMIT and even then we are driving way under. There is NO WAY you can drive 60 mph on most of these roads. But….driving here offers the most extraordinary landscapes....IF you are the passenger and can afford to take your eyes off the road.
We have driven past so many sheep and cow pastures. Wool and dairy are two of the primary industries here. I can’t even tell you how happy it makes me to see all the grass fed animals everywhere we go. They are not living in crates, but grazing all day long on beautiful pastures. They are living my dream job!! Eating all day long….hello…
Wellington is a neat town. Smaller than Auckland. Beautiful water surrounds the area. Reminds me a bit of Alki or the Oregon coast, but with aqua blue water, breakers and surfers. By far, Ryan and my favorite part of Wellington was meeting up with a few friends for drinks. Made our hearts happy. Well that, and the incredible dinner we ate celebrating our two year anniversary. It was definitely one of the top five meals we’ve ever had. I would have liked to try one of everything on the menu. But there were greener pastures we needed to explore beyond Wellington. Eating everything on the menu could have prevented me from fitting into my plane seat coming home.
Before bidding goodnight to Wellington and our two year anniversary date, Ryan gave me this very thoughtful and special gift. It’s a kiwi charm he had engraved weeks ago with our second anniversary date of 3.9.15. In return, I gave Ryan an equally thoughtful gift of a sweater and socks. Lucky man, I tell you, lucky man.
Leaving Wellington we took the Islander Ferry from the North Island to the South Island. The ferry is an upscale ferry. A ferry, nonetheless, where people think it’s okay to crowd your personal space taking their shoes off and stretching their huge, dirty feet in your area. Duuuddddeee. Ryan and I left the rude invasion of dirty feet and hit the deck to take in the beautiful passage between the islands.
From the ferry dock we drove two hours to a small town of Nelson and had lunch. Really really cute town. I would have liked to spend a few more hours exploring, but Takaka (a small town on the outskirts of Abel Tasman) awaits.
Nothing is a straight shot, and cruise control is pointless here. The speed limit posted is primarily 100 kph (60 mph.) In the states you can drive 20-30% faster than the posted speed limit and still feel safe. Here, their speed limit is THE LIMIT and even then we are driving way under. There is NO WAY you can drive 60 mph on most of these roads. But….driving here offers the most extraordinary landscapes....IF you are the passenger and can afford to take your eyes off the road.
We have driven past so many sheep and cow pastures. Wool and dairy are two of the primary industries here. I can’t even tell you how happy it makes me to see all the grass fed animals everywhere we go. They are not living in crates, but grazing all day long on beautiful pastures. They are living my dream job!! Eating all day long….hello…
Wellington is a neat town. Smaller than Auckland. Beautiful water surrounds the area. Reminds me a bit of Alki or the Oregon coast, but with aqua blue water, breakers and surfers. By far, Ryan and my favorite part of Wellington was meeting up with a few friends for drinks. Made our hearts happy. Well that, and the incredible dinner we ate celebrating our two year anniversary. It was definitely one of the top five meals we’ve ever had. I would have liked to try one of everything on the menu. But there were greener pastures we needed to explore beyond Wellington. Eating everything on the menu could have prevented me from fitting into my plane seat coming home.
Before bidding goodnight to Wellington and our two year anniversary date, Ryan gave me this very thoughtful and special gift. It’s a kiwi charm he had engraved weeks ago with our second anniversary date of 3.9.15. In return, I gave Ryan an equally thoughtful gift of a sweater and socks. Lucky man, I tell you, lucky man.
Leaving Wellington we took the Islander Ferry from the North Island to the South Island. The ferry is an upscale ferry. A ferry, nonetheless, where people think it’s okay to crowd your personal space taking their shoes off and stretching their huge, dirty feet in your area. Duuuddddeee. Ryan and I left the rude invasion of dirty feet and hit the deck to take in the beautiful passage between the islands.
From the ferry dock we drove two hours to a small town of Nelson and had lunch. Really really cute town. I would have liked to spend a few more hours exploring, but Takaka (a small town on the outskirts of Abel Tasman) awaits.
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