We took the Interislander Ferry from Wellington across the Cook Strait to Picton in the South Island. Over 9 days I drove over 2500 kms!!!!!! We went to Nelson, Punakaiki where we stayed in a beautiful hotel on the beach, http://www.punakaiki-resort.co.nz/ , Franz Josef Glacier, Queenstown, Dunedin, where we saw albatross, yellow-eyed penguins, seals and seal lions, and Akaroa Peninsula.