We had estimated the riding time from Mapua to Picton from our map. We also asked it from the Motor Park staff. Based on that information, we decided to leave early enough not to miss our ferry. Before we got to the highway, one U-turning van tried to nail us. Fortunately I guessed what it was doing, since it didn't bother to use signals. First we rode to Nelson, where we got lost, since the throughroad was again not so well signed. In Nelson I met the first two Kiwis, totally uncapable to co-operate. I was lost, trying to ask road, in the service station, and the serious-looking client didn't let me disturb. He continued his difficult decision making, which of the three trailers on the front yard would he rent. The boy behind the counter seemed to be afraid to this customer, so neither he responded. I got fed up, rushed out, and dug my maps out of the backpack. Finally I found some kind of city map of Nelson, and then we ran around checking the street names to locate ourselves. We lost about twenty minutes our valuable time finding our way out first on the map, and then in the actual environment.

There are two routes to Picton. The more interesting one is the roller-coaster like 35 kilometers of the famous Queen Charlotte Drive. While in Otira Gorge the vehicles exceeding 13 meters were prohibited. Here the limit was even a half meter shorter. We had never ridden so curvy road so far. Despite of one straight valley crossing in the middle, the longest straight was possibly 30 meters. We missed most part of the scenic view, since we were in a hurry, and I used all my concentration trying to keep the average speed over 40 kph. I wasn't really sure, if the distances to Picton in the roadsigns before this part were measured through this or the longer route, so I became really worried whether we catch the ferry or not. Just, when I was starting to calculate our remaining time based on our average speed, and the worst possible distance we could still have, behind one curve there opened a view staright to the Picton ferry harbour. Boy, were we relieved.

On the ferry we met the Fentress couple, the couple from Punakaiki and Greymouth, again. They are originally from the USA, lived 16 years in the Switzerland, and now already six years in NZ. We hadn't yet been able to reserve any accommodation to Waitomo-Hamilton region, so we really hoped the invitation was still in effect. After we discussed while about our routes back north, we gratefully received an invitation for overnight. Dave Fentress wrote me riding instructions, so we couldn't miss their house.

The ferry crossing took over three hours. This was the slower of the two ferries. The trip was very tossing, since the ferry wasn't so big, and the cross waves at the mouths of the narrow Marlborough bays are quite rough. From Wellington we rode to Palmerston North through Opiki. We found the Andrew Broome's apartment quite easily from his address. He was waiting for us waving in front of his apartment. I can tell you that ‘Drew was very interesting fellow, with hobbies such as motorcycling, aquarium fish, and carnivorous plants. Luckily these plants ate only small insects, so we didn't have to worry that any flower bites our toes while we are sleeping. Andrew had some room in his garage, so we took the bike inside from under a sudden thunderstorm.

There was only toast, jam, and Coke in Andrew's fridge, so we decided to go to a pub nearby to have some supper. Andrew invited his friend Peter with us, partly also, because Peter had promised couple of mattresses to lent. Peter had been in Europe, and also visited Finland. So we had plenty of topics to discuss while we were having beer.