Getting over to South Island is, without a doubt, best done on the ferry. The 3 hour crossing took us from the bustle (or not) of the capital across the Cook Strait and into Marlborough Sounds - deep blue water flanked by stunning green hills, with tiny deserted beaches, some with single houses and a boat for transport, and mussel and crayfish farms. We were lucky enough that the weather held until we disembarked, and it was just stunning.

So was the coastal road from Picton to Nelson, or what little we could see of it and the scenery through misty rain. The road wound along the edge of the hills, hugging the coastline, and in the grey weather it was very dramatic. We eventually arrived in Nelson at a random hotel chosen solely for the reason that it had Sky 2 and we'd therefore be able to watch the Australian Open tennis final that evening! Who's going to stop Federer?

The next day was Nelson Day, a bank holiday and therefore the town was pretty shut. We went out to Abel Tasman National Park and had a good tramp along part of the Abel Tasman Track. Blessed with gorgeous sunshine and perfect temperature, the walk was absolutely beautiful, taking us past lovely beaches and through cool green forests, crossing over streams and waterfalls on the way. A highlight - and if this is what South Island is like, we're in for a treat!

Leaving Nelson today - there doesn't seem to be too much to keep us here, and the weather is very un-Nelson apparently, with afternoon showers meaning there's not much to do, so we're heading south along State Highway 6, apparently a spectacular coastal drive. We're heading to the mountains and glacier territory - another completely different aspect of this country!