Back to the South

We have spent the past three days in Wellington visiting friends (most of whom are Friends). Tomorrow we will say farewell to the North Island for good (basically). With only 64 days left we need to cover the remaining corners of the South Island (mostly the North-west clockwise around to Christchurch), spend some time with our friends in Waimate, visit with Elizabeth (who is returning to NZ for a month in April), sell our car and all our stuff, and end up at the Christchurch airport. We have now spent more time on the North Island but somehow (I suppose it is because we began our journey there) it feels like we are returning home to the South Island.
We'll be out of internet contact until at least Monday because as soon as we land in Picton we'll be heading out to walk the Queen Charlotte Track which is a four or five day hike through the Marlborough Sounds (41°10'53.24"S, 173°59'11.68"E). It should be beautiful and I'm sure we will have much to report when we get back online.
Until then, farewell and to make the time pass more quickly I leave you with this picture of the hill we visited that holds the Guinness Book world record for the longest place name (40°20'45.49"S, 176°32'24.50"E). By the time you are through pronouncing it out loud we should be done with our hike.


Matt

p.s. I set the above image as the image when you look up Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu on wikipedia. I'm a published photographer!