CHAPTER 16
The extreme top of the South Island is a veritable paradise- lush jungle and wholesome farm land jostle elbows to encroach upon the wide, arcing expanses of pristine beach that give the area a decidedly tropical feel- at least in comparison to the snow capped peaks and relentless glaciers that the land not so far south from here has on offer. We started off by exploring the regions principal city Nelson, and then worked our way north to the very tip of the island at Cape Farewell, with its monumental natural arches seemingly buttressing the island against the fury of the sea. We did a bit of hiking along the famous Abel Tasman and later the Queen Charlotte Sound trails, but the sun and the sand were really what we needed, prompting us to indulge in a rare-for-us lazy beach day. But we were working against an arbitrary and self imposed deadline to evacuate- we definitely could have lingered here, but the treasures of the North Island beckoned, and promised to be just as captivating. So, on an appropriately grey and drizzly day, we made for the Interisland ferry at Picton, boarded 10 minutes before departure as the last vehicle, climbed to the top deck and bid adieu to the South Island.
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