The End of a Great Trip

The Abel Tasman Experience was a disappointing way to end the trip. By the next morning, Day 8 of what should have been a 9-day journey, we were done. We called the ferry, hoping to move our booking up a day. Thankfully they had a spot for the Subaru and us.

All-in-all, though, it was a great trip. The biggest lesson is that NZ requires flexibility on the weather. It will rain when you're here. Even in the sunniest spots (like Abel Tasman), the locals say that at the peak of summer (February), it will rain. So make your plans flexible. The rain only caused four major losses: Abel Tasman, a night at Aoraki (but this was a loss from which we profited an excellent second night in Wanaka), and views on two drives, between Wanaka and the West Coast and at Kairoura. That was a lot, but we also had great times and mostly great weather at Wanaka, the glaciers, and up the West Coast. And we saw some amazing things that make me feel lucky to live here.

Finally, it ended with a very nice ferry ride back. After another crummy day in Nelson, Picton, the ferry town on the South Island, offered a pleasant couple of hours. Then we had a beautiful sunset cruise across the Cook Strait back to Wellington, seen in the pictures here. Julie's holding her wine as the sun goes down; I'm behind the camera enjoying a few beers. It is really a gorgeous ride in itself if the weather's good (which it wasn't on the way down, but was on the way back, thankfully). We arrived home the night of Dec. 20.

Tomorrow we're off on the last adventure before Julie leaves on New Year's Day. Up to Rotorua for a Maori Hangi (feast) and hot springs, and then, weather permitting, to do the Tongariro Crossing, an 8 hour hike through a couple volcanos ("Mordor" to fans of Lord of the Rings), which is supposed to be the best one-day tramp in NZ. Despite some awesome sun most of the time we've been back in Wellington, they're predicting rain the day we're supposed to be at Tongariro, so keep your fingers crossed. They say not to do the hike if it rains, since it basically turns into a long walk in the fog!