Basil Fawlty Lives in Wellington

BLENHEIM. 11 NOVEMBER 2024.

We’re awake at 7:30 but take our time dressing and packing. We’re ready to go when we go up to breakfast. John, the owner, greets us with “you’re the last at breakfast”. Rosie asks if people have left for early ferries. “It’s not brain science, love, most people don’t leave it until 8:50 before coming to breakfast”. That created a very uncomfortable atmosphere for our meal. Rosie wants to leave the room but Paul goes the other way and orders toast and cereal. The rules say we have until 9:10 before the dining room has to be empty.

Our ferry isn’t until 1:30 so we drive the section of the bay that was closed yesterday. On route, we call in at a viewing point called Mount Victoria. Stunning views of the city and bays. We also bump into a family from the hotel. They’re doing the same as us, their ferry is at 1pm.

We arrive at the port by 11:30. We’re allowed to park in line and go for a walk into the town. No worries about terrorism here! We buy lunch for eating on board. The journey takes 3 hours and 20 minutes. Disembarking is easy and we arrive at the hotel by 5:45.

The house is owned by a Sri Lankan couple who live on the ground floor. The kitchen and lounge are shared. The lady is amazed by how bland our dinner of pork, potatoes and vegetables is.

After dinner, we walk along the river. It’s very pretty and flat, thankfully.