On the Snout Trail, a beautiful view of Queen Charlotte Sound but effected by facing into the sun.
A less hostile sun, a better result.
We crossed the Cook Strait from Wellington, the capital, to Picton, a small city (town) in the South Island of New Zealand. It was bumpier than our past crossings but nevertheless, revealed some wonderful additional sights. The country has an amazing array of natural beauty. It reminds us of Hawaii which is not too surprising as the country and state are in similar regions. The country is far superior though. Speaking from a purely personal view, New Zealand has everything but four things that can be found in Hawaii. They are in no particular order of importance: Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Haleakala and a warmer and consistent climate. Should you be able to do without those, then skip Hawaii. Some might say the largesse from the Federal government of the USA would be a fifth element.
The hikes in the region were on the short-side but with steep inclines and wonderful views. It gave us an opportunity to rest a little, keep the muscles exercised and catch up on things we had little time to attend to in previous weeks.
We'll put this narrative to bed as we prepare for perhaps one of the toughest days we can expect. In fact, having completed the adventure on Mount Fox, the editor will attest to the personal challenge she faced, next time. When we combine the hikes of Mount Taranaki and Mount Fox, we believe the combination may have tested us more than any other couple of outings...ever. Next time...
It only takes a tiny boat to stir the Sound.
From the ferry, facing the capital city, Wellington.
We hiked to the mountaintop to catch a sunrise; instead, the clouds covered the region so we relied
on the lights of Picton harbor and the town.
A more than stroll to the marina to say 'cheers' to the sun.
Crossing paths close to Wellington harbor.
The ferry we sailed the previous day arrives from Wellington, a more than 3 hour journey across the Cook Strait.
"Mary, cross the Mersey" or something like that.
The suburban view at dawn.
A final, full frontal of Picton and the sound from the mountain ridge.
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
A built in 'washer and dryer' after walking in mud and rain. Of course, the trick is driving on
New Zealand roads and keeping the boots balanced on the car, socks, too.
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