We're wringing our tent out.

So as of today we have landed on the South Island. I'm going to have to work backwards in time to remember correctly all that has happened. Today we drove our car onto the ferry which starts in Wellington in the north and lands in Picton in the South. We immediately starting driving west to our camping spot in Richmond, which is considered a part of the wine trail. We have visited a couple of wineries and we're still partial to Ca. wines. Yes the wine snobs we are. We still have bought a couple of bottles to enjoy while we're here. More about the ferry though. We drove our car onto the ferry and then were asked to park on this ramp that was at a good angle. The cars are parked so closely to each other that it's difficult to get out. I was afraid one of the cars would not have it's ebrake on and it would start a chain reaction of all the cars barreling into each other. We went onto the ferry, which was like a floating hotel lobby. Lots of places to chill, eat, drink, even watch a movie...for an extra charge. When we went to retrieve our car, it had moved. The ferry worker asked if we were lost, no, just our car wasn't where we had left it. Apparently we had parked on a hydrolic lift that was lifted up, and yes, that's where our car was. We got into the car. Had to wait for the floor below us to clear out and then they lowered us down, which us in the car. I know, not the things that you may find interesting, but I sure did. Onto the sights....

We spent a day and a half in the geothermic area of Rotorua. As we drove into town we passed by a park...in the middle of the town and Chris noticed steam coming from it. We immediately pulled over and started an hour or so exploration of the park. It had rocks that were warm, just sitting on the ground, bubbling pools of steaming mud, a small, steaming and bubbling lake and a few hot springs to stick your feet in. It was crazy but the sulfur smell was yucky. You get used to it though. Then we hit up the hot springs in town. Right on the coast of the lake there. There were about 5 different pools to chose from, all at different temperatures. Felt very relaxing and the sulfur is actually really good for the skin. The next day we went to Wai-o-Tapu,the big place where a geyser goes off at 10:15 every morning and the craziest geothermal lakes, craters, you name it. Well, with all the masses sitting around the geyser at 10:15 an announcer comes up and well, basically pours soap into the geyser to set it off. We kinda felt ripped off but not by the rest of the park. Different minerals create different colors and there were colors I didn't know exsisted outside the 1980's. Florescents of orange and green and yellow. This place was just mind boggling. We felt like we were on another planet. Once we get the pictures loaded, you'll see. And Chris took a ton. We even were almost able to recreate the cover of our Rough Guide guide book. To continue down south we went to Hastings, which is also on the wine trail. Unfortunately this is when the sky opened up and the kiwi's got some badly needed rain. Our tent, which cost us $25 about 8 years ago was up to the test, but barely. We got a bit damp but our tent was soaked and covered in mud. There was no way it could handle one more night of this. When we were inside of it you couldn't touch the walls for fear that it would leak all over you. What else could we do but laugh. The next day....yesterday, we headed to Wellington, which everyone said was a lot like San Francisco. We decided to rent a cabin room at the campsite to dry out for a night. It was perfect. Just a room with a bunkbed, a single, and a heater!! Chris jerryrigged our clothes line and hung up our tent on it...inside the room. We left the room a bit dirtier than we found it, but we were much drier. Now Wellington is lot like SF. Houses on the hills. Had an interesting, creative feel to it. The buildings were all so different and modern looking. "Very Ikea", I kept saying. We were there very briefly, but I loved it!! I'd move there. We also saw one of the most beautiful sunsets from the pier...at 9:00 p.m.

So I think that catches us up. We're still trying to decide exactly what to do over the next few days. We just hope that the rain stays intermitten. I think the tent can handle that. Otherwise we'll have to figure out some sort of rainfly/ shelter solution. Possibly a blue tarp.

Until next time!!