March 16, 2024

Lake Rotoiti to Picton

We wake up to a blue sky but a freezing cold zero Celsius (32 Fahrenheit). Nobody wanted to get up and turn on the heat. If was sooo nice and warm under the covers. We can see that it has snowed during the night. The mountains are covered with a dusting of snow. It is absolutely beautiful here.

We are in no rush but we have booked a tour with the mail boat early afternoon. We wish we could stay longer.

We enjoy the drive thru the famous Marlborough wine valley. Wineries left and right of the road as far as we can see. The harvest is going on. To our big surprise, they are harvesting the grapes by machine. Only the premium wines are picked by hand.

We arrive in Picton

and grab a coffee and a toast before we board the mailboat. First we stop at a memorial of captain Cook

and then we deliver mail to some of the most remote areas in the sound. On two stops there are two dogs waiting for their treats. They know exactly when the mail boat is coming and they are waiting more or less patiently until the boat has docked and they receive their goodies. The mailman exchanges the red postal pouches and continues to the next stop.

People live totally off the grid and most do not have electricity, running water, unless it is in a small community. They have to collect rain water or get it from streams, and they get light and electricity with generators and solar power.

We finally go out to dinner so I can taste their green mussels. The first picture is ceviche, then green mussels and a peanut butter mousse. Everything is delicious.