It is actually considered the gateway because it is the entry point for ferries and ships that come down from Wellington on the North Island.
As I am writing we are making our way out of the Queen Charlotte Sound and into the notorious Cook Straight that separates these two magnificent Islands. I call it notorious because the seas in the straight have a reputation for being very rough. Thankfully that doesn't seem to be the case tonight.
As we sailed in this morning we were greeted first by a beautiful rainbow over the harbor and then by a welcoming team that had made a flower corsage for the ladies. We're talking with a fresh flower!
This was another great example of the Kiwi hospitality that we've experienced everywhere.
The people and the incredible scenery really do make New Zealand a special place.
In addition to being the gateway to the South Island it is also one of New Zealand's two major wine producing regions. The speciality for this region is the Sauvignon Blanc wines. Eighty six percent of all the wine produced here is Sauvignon Blanc, they've kinda got it figured out.
After getting off the ship and separating from the other cruisers as we frequently do we enjoyed a hike on one of the many trails from the city that also make it popular for backpackers. Our walk wasn't nearly as long as some of the multi-day hikes but it was a nice trail along the harbor to an area called Bob's Bay.
Not wanting to miss out on what the area is famous for we booked a wine country tour for the afternoon. Their wine country consists of over 160 wineries and looks very similar to the Napa Valley region of California.
Our tour took us to five different wineries with tastings of multiple wines at each one. Our tour guide was from the U.K. and we were quite an international group. There were a total of 11 people on the tour representing four different countries (US, Canada, Australia and Panama).
None of us had met previously but by the end of the day we were all good friends......must have been something in the water!
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| One of the Vineyards on the Wine Tour |
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| Taken From The Ship! |
