With the Ford Mondeo loaded up, it was a days drive to Wellington, a night in the QT Hotel, and on board the ferry to Picton the next morning.
The lobby 
Our room 
Cruising on the Interislander
From Picton it is another long drive, this time to Christchurch. However the spectacular coastal road north and south of Kaikoura is a welcome distraction. Stay the night at Rydges Hotel Latimer Square, and dinner at Francesca’s Italian Kitchen. Both excellent.
With two days to reach Queenstown, we decided to stay somewhere overnight on the way, and we chose .. Waimate! We had heard it had an excellent golf course, so play it we did. Quite a challenging course in immaculate condition, with numerous established trees. Not our best golf in the end, but most enjoyable. Dinner that evening was in the recently refurbished Waimate Hotel.
Waimate golf course 
Fore right! 
Down the middle
The Bakery 
Waimate Hotel 
Impressive refurbishment