Mar 29, 2013 - Travelling from Franz Josef to Nelson

Today we got a 10 hour bus trip from Franz Josef to Nelson, it was a long day and the bus ride wasn't as enjoyable as the Queenstown to Franz Josef one but we did get the see the "Pancake Rocks" with was good, even though we didnt see the full works! And tomorrow we are off to Picton to start the Queen Charlotte Walk

Feb 23, 2013 - Nelson

Biggest event of the day was our cruise/kayaking expedition on the coast of the Abel Tasman Park. I guess Abel Tasman was a Dutch explorer who first arrived in NZ in the 16th century. Not sure if he made it to the North Island but did make landings in the South Island. Ironically, it seems that he never set foot on the are which now has a park named after him. He and his men had what our guide described as a "misunderstanding" with the Maoris there which resulted in several people on both sides being killed, so Abel upped anchor and got the...

Feb 22, 2013 - Wellington to Ruby Bay (Nelson)

Early start today to get the 8:25am Interisland ferry from Wellington to Picton in the SOuth Island. Pretty overcast day so we weren't sure what to expect as far as how rough the crossing might be. The Tasman Sea has a reputation for some pretty heavy seas. The crossing time is about 3 hours, pretty similar to crossing the English Channel, which can also be rough at times. Here's a map of the journey.