This morning we head for Nelson.

This is the northern city of the South Island and is a reasonable sized town.

On the way in we pass an old abandoned house. This could be our new home, but Maggie isn’t convinced. You see quite a few properties like this which are replaced by more modern residences.

 

We arrive in town to closed roads and traffic.

Traffic in the South Island is something of a rarity and so we find a parking spot and go to investigate.

It transpires we have arrived just in time to see their Christmas parade complete with floats and of course Santa.

Its small town with the fire department, police department and all the local businesses sponsoring floats.

Everyone enjoys it and there is even a pipe band to rouse the passions.

 

 

Once the parade is over we walk up to the top of the street where the war memorial is.

Here there are a range of inexpensive restaurants serving freshly cooked food.

The chips which were enough to feed a small family were some of the best I have had for a long time.

After lunch we head out of town towards Picton. This is where the ferry leaves for the North Island.

The car park at the coast contains a statue of the sea Goddess.

The road is typical.

It shadows the coast before climbing over the mountain only to become a cliff top road hugging the coast again.

Once past the Rai valley you start to see the Queen Charlotte bay open up and the rest of the journey is dominated by the views down into the bay.

At the top of one hill is a walk up to a lookout and the view from the top is well worth the walk. Even Maggie admits it.

We choose a site on the bay shore for the night.  This is to be our last night on the South Island and it iOS with some sadness that we plan to leave.

Whatever is in front will I am sure be good but the South Island has been awesome.

We decide to stay somewhere called Aussie Bay just after xxx. I’m not sure why but it is well worth making the detour of the main road.

One surprising thing is the number of houses that are up for sale on this road.

It is just of the road and yet