We took a little drive around Picton to kill some time before checking in for our ferry crossing. The town wasn't quite what I expected, fairly small and not much to it other than the marina and ferry port.

We drove into the vehicle check-in area in good time and then waited half an hour before boarding the ferry. Once we parked we made our way upstairs to the Kaitaki Lounge, where we stayed for most of the trip. It was definitely worth the few extra dollars. We had a comfy sofa and table, free wireless internet and all the drinks and snacks we wanted. Plus it was a fairly quiet area and no kids allowed. It was a great place to relax and enjoy the journey in relative peace and quiet.

We had heard a few stories about the ferry trip over the Cook Strait between the two islands, most of them being that the journey is really bumpy and not for the faint hearted. I have to say that our journey was very calm and pleasant. Once we had left the protection of Queen Charlotte Sound there was the occasional large wave, but because of the size of the vessel it's not a problem at all. Having experienced the Manly ferry in the peak of winter when the swells and winds are at their highest and roughest, this was nothing! It was a really nice journey, only taking three hours. It gave us plenty of time to relax and enjoy the wonderful scenery of the south island as we left, as well as the approach of Wellington when we arrived in the north island.

On arrival in Wellington the sun was shining and it felt good to be here. As we arrived late in the afternoon we decided it would be best to find a camp site for the night and then have the whole day tomorrow to explore the city. We found a place about fifteen minutes drive out of the city. The camp site itself was ok, and very cheap, however there were some kids playing right in the middle of the site who were a bit noisy. Thankfully they retired to their respective homes in as soon as it got dark.