Picton is at the top of my If-I-were-retired list

LOOKING EXTRA PICTURESQUE, EFFORTLESSLY - 

A beauteous morn and how we wished we could stay in Picton indefinitely. After checking out of our hotel and leaving our suitcases in the dining room, we were away to sample the best of all Picton has to offer around the foreshore. We went back to the same bakery as the day before for pastries; I opted for an apple cinnamon surprise on this occasion. The surprise is that swallowing a tepid Danish is a bit gross. 

While we were breakfasting ravenously down by the gorgeous water's edge, Amy sneezed out a mouthful rather hilariously and to make it all the more of a chuckle, 2 greedy gut ducks hoovered it instantaneously. That's kinda yucky, no? Amy could hear me yell out to her from afar as I papped her like she was an a-list celeb. Looking around the shops some more we asserted 'WE DON'T WANNA LEAVE!!' 

A PITY TO LEAVE PICTON - 

Cos we could, we drank milkshakes from the Sunbreeze café and sat *in* the breeze of the sun. My raspberry flavour was slurped noisily; Amy tried but failed to subtly get me to shut up. This proved problematic as I drank my shake of berry bliss, consumed by sugar and that only spurred me on to swig more theatrically! We crossed over the coathanger bridge overlooking the marina of 254 berths, wildly amused by the 'Seas the Day' maritime pun name of one of the boats. 

Gleaming, sapphire shades of the sea was overawing at Shelley Beach reserve. Amy and I were simply having a wonderful, beachy time in all its golden glory. Sunning ourselves was a beautiful, soulful experience of sorts. Finding sparkly pieces of quartz between the grains of sand was another day brightener; is that weird to say? It combines my love of foraging with the delight of unearthing discoveries. 

A DISAPPOINTMENT TO TRAVELERS EVERYWHERE - 

The place where people are pretty pleased with their lives, especially when the weather was so fine and it wasn't even summertime. It was so easy to love you! That all changed for the WORSE when we reached Nelson 3 hours later, as did my mood - DANGEROUSLY so. Nelson is claimed to be one of the sunniest spots in NZ - curse our misfortune. 

Aurora Backpackers was like we were sent to hostel HELL in this shambles of a diabolical, old and unclean lodgings. I couldn't hold back from a full on Rianne rage of fury that the owner had given us a 6 bed dorm, albeit to ourselves when we'd booked for a standard twin room and were still charged for that price. These cruddy probably bug-ridden bunk beds should have only cost $19 a night but we'd paid almost double that each. The room and bedding were disappointments all round and I was ready to bay for the owner's blood but Amy talked me down and he apologised and admitted fault.. though I shouldn't have settled without getting money back. 

THESE ARE TENDER MEMORIES - 

Queens Gardens were blooming lovely but the skies were grey as we engrossed ourselves in the garnished gardens 125 years old. We were hoping for a slightly more sunshiney afternoon, sunshine perfection in fact but we had to make do with precipitating draft. The bridge and Huangshi Chinese Gardens within the grounds kept Amy happy. 

At the end of the day, we troopered on up and up and up the 147 metre high Botanical Hill to reach the geographical centre of New Zealand and give it a lil' look-a-roo. Heavenly green and dense vegetation confines the iconic and leafy Maitai Valley. The climb got worse before it got better along the impossibly drawn out zig-zaggy track. 

THE WEATHER DOESN'T HURT OUR SENSE OF HUMOUR - 

A needle monument marks the purported 'centre' of the country at the top. It is point zero for surveyors which is why this particular point has come to be known as the midway mark. Sweeping, misty vistas of the city and out to sea were sheer brilliance. I did a victory dance boomeranging to perfectly celebrate reaching the popular spot as the only ray of sunshine snuck out from the nebulous haze. 

After trudging an 'ickle' hill, we ate some pizza and went home MUCH happier. Pizzeria Bella's, Della Casa was a meaty, JUMBO, magical healer of a pizza with its pepperoni, ham, bacon, olives and chilli flakes. I could eat it every day and gain heaps of weight but I'd die happily. 

MAYBE WE'LL LOVE EACH OTHER ONE DAY, NELSON? - 

I was not looking so elegant upon joining the land of the living on Wednesday 11th October. True to his word, the owner of Aurora met us at dawn to collect our keys, enabling us to flee. An almost ten hour bus ride exhausted me; there were NO good times on board. My abdominal pain caused me momentary agony which led to Amy bubble-wrapping me most of the trip and carrying all heavy objects. 

Precipitation was plummeting down when we legged it to what we thought were the Pancake Rocks and Blowhole on a pit stop. It wasn't until we saw a postcard in the gift shop that it clicked we hadn't seen or photographed them because we hadn't followed the track far enough to Paparoa National Park's landmark limestone formations. We were drenched for nowt!!!

These are the real Pancake Rocks

EARNED OURSELVES A LITTLE MUFFIN BREAK- 

A longer lunch break was designated to us in Hokitika where the day was looking brighter. Its beach paints a perfect picture but we were fighting against fierce wind so we popped into Café 39 for muffins. My expectations of muffins may be too high as my apple cinnamon was deeply flawed in fluffiness. 

We arrived in Franz Josef half an hour early and I could have GALLOPED in relief. The snow is still atop the Glacier, a spectacular sight my eyes will treasure. Franz Josef is a great place to escape the humdrum where everything is seriously stunning. A revitalising locality at the foot of Mt Cook's westerly banks -- I've done my homework as I respect this region of dreams and ice.

IT WAS A VERY CLASSY NIGHT -

King Tiger Eastern Eating enticed us with a starter of spring rolls - what better gift for the belly? Amy had an outstanding lemon chicken and my main course was chicken massaman curry; it was luscious with some dynamite spice to slap my taste buds. I was stuffed as a Thanksgiving turkey afterwards!

I've wanted to take Amy to a glacier for the longest time; we went for a wander so I could show her this tiny town. I'm just happy I had her along for the end of my grand adventure. The sun set behind a mysterious mountain peak and it was one where you wanna get your camera out. We gazed out from Waiho River bridge; the sun was a mellow yellow as it kissed the sky goodnight.

I think we're going to get along quite nicely, Picton

NATURE IS BEAUTIFUL - 

Zealandia is a tropical, eco-sanctuary for conservation and restoring biodiversity where Amy and I indulged in the wildness of our surroundings. Its environment is strange and foreign but outlandishly exotic as well. The simplicity of taking a stroll through the vast valley beside the Karopi reservoir is lovely. 

18 species have been reintroduced to the area, some were absent for 100 years in this lush bush land of 225 hectares. Some say the entry fee is highway robbery for what is essentially a walk in the woods where you may catch a glimpse of something awesome and this could just as easily be done in the great outdoors for FREE. The predator-proof fence is a world-first and was installed to exclude pests from harming the protected wildlife, keeping out: rats, weasels, possums, pigs etc. 

WE MIGHT AS WELL LOOK CUTE WHILE WE BIRD WATCH - 

40 rare species prosper in their native habitats so we got into hyper focused, bird watching mode but barely saw a birdie and were left thoroughly underwhelmed. However we did spot: fantails, tuis, karatiki and weta; if we hadn't our bush tramp would've been very mundane. 24 of the species are indigenous but they're DANG difficult to spot! The geckos were tricky to spy as even these lime green amphibians were camouflaged with leaves. 

Dewy snowdrops caught my eye signalling the midst of Spring as did shags perched on branches in the murky water near the pontoon, many were nesting. Birdsong Gully has speakers with info to help visitors audibly detect birds through their pre-recorded song. The main highlight along the track was the birds feeding so this is where we plonked ourselves for a feed too. Kakas are sociable, forest dwelling, olive-coloured parrots; they would swoop down and screech from the treetops to nibble from the feeder. 

 SORRY TO STEP ON YOUR DUCK TURF - 

A mama duck guarding her ducklings protectively as she was overwhelmed with love for her offspring, had everyone smiling and cooing. The water bird was giving us JOY! From there we took a steep, barely two minute walk to the Upper Dam but I'd almost rather live scorpions were thrown at me than scale steepness! My feet were being stubborn up to the striking vantage point although I would have kicked myself for missing it. 

Tuataras have no banter. These spiny-backed, ancient reptiles don't have ears but do have a third eye mid forehead which is said to see into the Spirit World. Zealandia also has an old, abandoned goldmine named Morning Star which was one of 6 unsuccessful attempts to find gold in the area. We did discover more wetas and a few glow worms inside. 

MY LOVE FOR THE SWEET STUFF HAS NO BOUNDS - 

Back in the city, we went to Wellington Chocolate Factory - renowned in the city for its organic bean to bar approach using 18th Century methodology which you can watch! Shouted Amy a Peruvian hot chocolate and myself a chilli lime peanut blend; it was a cup of cheer and hope. The tasty truffle sample wasn't too shabby either. This can be found within Hannah's Laneway, a tucked away treasure of eateries. 

As we were parched, Six Barrel Soda Factory was our next pit stop; it's not really a factory but it churns out soda nonetheless. The two of us shared a tasting of 3 mini sodas, we selected: 1) sarsaparilla - I liked this flavour best as it was full of sunshine with a vanilla note, 2) raspberry and lemon - quite tart pink lemonade and 3) cherry and pomegranate which was Amy's fave. All came with fresh, floral adornments and the pretty, sparkling beverages were concocted of natural ingredients.

THE COOKIE QUEST - 

As a two woman cookie army we failed dismally to obtain Mrs Higgins cookies. Try as we might, Maps Me continually misdirected us and we settled on Cookie Time from one of The Warehouse stores. While eating these we paid our solemn respects to the fallen soldiers at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. It is incredibly sad that one third of the New Zealanders who died in WW1 have no grave. The tomb of the unknown warrior allows the city to commemorate the 30,000 Kiwis who died in battle. 

Sweet Mama's kitchen is an institution in its own right with their delicious New Orleans and Cajun style home cooking. They fully embrace the American diner culture complete with serving food in plastic buckets. My Jerk chicken Po Boy, curly fries, Creole aioli and I were very compatible. Classic Southern soul food induces happiness.  

A VERY HIGH END FERRY - 

Our early wake up was NOT great; I've decided that alarms are sleep murderers! On a captivating cruise through Cook Strait on the Interislander Ferry we waved ciao, adios to smelly Welly, drinking it all in. It took little over 3 hours to complete the pleasant crossing from Wellington to Picton, seated at a table on Deck 8 at the very front. Although we weren't granted optimal visibility, as we got closer to South Island through Marlborough Sounds, we were staggered with the optical jewels. The Sounds are an expansive assemblage of sunken river valleys through water ways to secluded sandy shore and emerald hills. 

We were treated to a special dolphin sighting :) The giveaway sign was sea birds swooping to the ocean's for a feed. The dolphins were really sweet popping their face and fins up to say 'Kia ora!' This was just what we wanted to see first thing in the morning. 

PICTON LOVE - 

The cherished gateway port to inlets and islands is sweet and enamouring - plus a lot prettier than we thought it would be. We could tell that in the summertime Picton would be even more gorgeous as it's the most paradisey place. Luckily, we were able to check right in at Picton Yacht Club Hotel almost an hour early after we'd hauled cases along the placid waterfront. 

Our standard double room was more than sufficient but the receptionist seemed perturbed by my decision to have booked a 'small' suite to share. We are sisters and don't need a luxurious suite - it was lovely. It was then that I discovered a bird had taken it upon itself to leave a 'present' on my rain jacket and back pack, much to my utter disgust. Amy tasked herself with cleaning it off as I was far too grossed out but not before she'd chortled at my 'lucky', yucky predicament. At the time, I saw zero amusement in the situation. 

IT'S A DAY FULL OF MARINE LIFE LOVE - 

After a blueberry swirl pastry of aggressively juicy finesse from the local village bakery, the Eco World Aquarium and Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre invited us over. Amy and I joined a guided tour just as a tank of fishies were being fed. It was funny to see a sting ray spitting up a mussel as he couldn't see the sea food (they use electro-sensors to locate their meals) and hates them. Mussels are nobody's fantasy snack! 

The Centre rescues Little Blue Penguins and rehabilitates between 5 to 9 each year. They have one that has become too tame to be released back into the wild and it was one of the most precious things I've seen in my life. We were all allowed to take turns to gently stroke the lil' guy and I almost sobbed with joy. Little Blues are my favourite species of penguin so this was a delight and surreal by every stretch of the word. I never thought I'd get to do this! 

WHAT WAS THEIR PORPOISE FOR RUNNING AMOK? - 

Tuataras are so maudlin and smoother to the touch than expected when we handled them. They're only fed once a week, have 4 heart beats a minute and can hold one breath for an entire hour. The prickly looking spikes are on their back are surprisingly soft. One of the terrible American kids took her turn and it was close to biting her arm. The snake neck turtle's baby was insanely cute but the snappy necks strike prey and it's terrifying. A cray fish struck glorious poses at the glass for us. 

The most socially dysfunctional kids were with their hippy dippy Dad at the aquarium and they kept interrupting our guide demanding 'Can I pet it?!!!!!' or to ask some moronic question. My wrath for them made me scowl 'NO' when one of the requests was directed at me. Their father was allowing them to run about rambunctiously and treat the creatures in the touch tank so disrespectfully. It's not like they were five or six either. They were closer to ten years old and being bratty manhandling the sea life. Our own time with the sea stars was spoilt by their maltreatment and riled me mightily. 

COOL FACT - Star fish are devoid of blood and a brain. 

A GREAT SISTER-SISTER BONDING EXPERIENCE - 

We had the perfect time sauntering Picton with its funkily coloured, giant sun loungers which are comfy but admittedly fraying and tacky. Unwound by the jetty where the waterfront boasts AMAZING, world class views out to crystal clear waters and the Sounds. With so many boutique souvenir stores we were bound to pick up a thing or two; my kiwi mirror stickers were a must buy. 

Both our evening plans were scuppered as Thai Panda was closed so we instead dined from a Turkish takeaway, taking it back to our suite so we could watch Sky TV at the hotel. Next, we'd planned to swim under the stars as the website promised a heated pool year-round but after taking the trouble to change, we dipped a hand in only to find the water was ice cold. We couldn't possibly handle that! I was peeved as we'd treated ourselves to this one night of semi-luxury, purely to swim and that was taken from us. I was flat out put out when reception confirmed that we could still take a dip but that they don't heat it that time of year. And so, we wrapped up snugly in warm clothes in the almost midnight hours to walk round the marina. It wasn't really lit when darkness fell but was extraordinarily photogenic all the same.