🇳🇿 New Zealand's Surprising Little Gem: Picton

After visiting Hobbiton and Wellington, we arrived at our first South Island stop—the charming "Picton Village" (or as we call it, "Picton-tun" 😆). ⛴️ Ferry Adventure from Wellington Interislander ferry (10 decks!): Price: NZD 60/person (booked via InterCity) Decks: Car parking (1F), passenger cabins (7-9F), and top-deck viewing area (10F) 🌊 Journey: 3.5 hours through the Marlborough Sounds—even stormy weather couldn’t rock this giant boat! Pro tip: Go to Deck 10 when entering the Sounds for epic photos (we got lucky with sunshine!). 🏡 Tiny Town, Big Vibes Two main streets: One lined with waterfront cafés/pubs—perfect for a lazy coffee or cold beer. 🍺 Slow travel mode: We chilled here for 2 days to recover from earlier adventures! 🚤 Half-Day Wildlife Tour (NZD 149) Highlights: Blue penguins (world’s smallest!) 🐧 Hector’s dolphins playing beside our boat 🐬 Seals munching on fish 🦭 Motuara Island: Hike to a lookout tower for 360° views or stay below to watch rare birds bathe! Bonus: Coffee + wine onboard. 🍷 🍽️ Food Recs 📍 Toastie Lords: Killer toasties—eat on the grassy waterfront! 🌿 📍 Seumus’ Irish Pub: Guinness stew = soul-warming perfection. 🍖 #PictonNZ #WildlifeWatching #FerryTales #SlowTravelNZ