Having arranged my flights into and out of New Zealand before I had decided upon a full itinerary—departing from Wellington rather than an airport further south—meant I had little time to really explore the South Island.
From Nelson I reluctantly headed back to Wellington, cursing myself for not having an itinerary that continued south. However, Wellington will remain the most memorable city of this trip, although perhaps not entirely for the right reasons.
I’ve long held two ambitions. The first: to return to Australia before this decade is out. The second: to welcome in a New Year on Sydney Harbour before I turn 30.
For the final leg of my North American tour I transcended the West Coast on Amtrak’s Coast Starlight. Getting to San Francisco wouldn’t be much fun, boarding a coach in Vancouver at a ridiculous hour in the morning and dealing with an offensive US border guard before arriving at a closed King Street station in Seattle sounding its fire alarm.
Sat in the front seat of another float plane, I enjoyed a breathtaking view of Vancouver as I descended into its harbour. For such a densely populated city, I felt I’d arrived somewhere small and friendly.