Good-bye to the South Island

Sad to leave the South Island – so much more to see. But looking forward to our “cruise” to Wellington and further ventures in the North. We arrive at the terminal at 9 a.m. for a 10:30 sailing. P l e n t y of time, but wanted to allow time to deliver the car at the rental company. No one around. Very casual drop keys approach.

Beautiful sunny Sunday morning, locals walking dogs – ferry passengers taking a stroll. Receive an SMS – apologies from Interislander for a 45-minute delay. At least we can check our luggage. Ferry finally sails 11:50. Sea Conditions Today: CALM! We’re told that is very unusual – thankful I don’t have to take medication against sea-sickness.

Slowly navigate through the channels – tree-clad hills down to the water, a few homes at the water’s edge. Some motor boats, some fishing boats. Sail into the Cook Straight, then no land. 

Three+ hours later, we arrive in Wellington. Very helpful and friendly bus driver at the Interislander terminal– he points out that it is a free shuttle service to the central railroad station. Thank you! 

Arrive in plenty of time to explore Wellington’s waterfront, bursting with activity on this sunny – and more importantly not-windy! – Sunday afternoon: pop-up boutiques, family outings, kids queuing to dive/jump into the water from a high (by my standards) precipice into a rather confined space. What's immediate evident is diversity – have to say, not that apparent on the South Island.

The Maori culture was present, in an indirect way, on the South Island, in the places we saw, like Aoraki and Moeraki, in the plants and other vegetation we encountered for the first time, like the pohutukawa tree or the ever-present toe-toe, and the names of places, like Kaikoura (derived from Te Ahi Kaikoura a Tama ki te Rangi: the fire that cooked the crayfish of Tama ki te Rangi). There were also people of Maori descent, but since the South Island is so scarcely populated in general, the Maoris were not as present in the South as they were in the North – as we were about to experience over the next several days.

(Note: there are Maori cultural tours available on the South Island, as well as the North, as we found out later. So check these out when you are planning your trip).

We head for the deservedly acclaimed Te Papa museum, especially interested in the Maori section, where the aim is not only to display Maori artifacts but to explain the history and culture of the people, extending to the current day. There is a huge waka at the start of the Maori section, very dramatic. A Maori working at the museum saw us intently studying some of exhibits, he greeted us and explained the cultural background and significance, including the tattoos on his arm. This is very much a living culture, not just one of bygone days to be admired in a museum.

We were in Wellington for two days and went to the museum for some hours on both of them. We also took the cable car up to the Botanical Gardens. There is more to see and do in Wellington – for us the museum was the primary goal. We were also eager to start our tour of the North Island.