Duo travel to see cruise ship arrive

A mother and daughter from Blenheim made a special trip to Picton on Saturday to watch the 310-metre-long cruise ship Voyager of the Seas come into Shakespeare Bay, at Picton.

Jennifer Reeve and her mother Hilda Lodge moved to Blenheim about five years ago from Bradford, in Northern England.

Along with Gucci the dog, the women packed a picnic lunch and drove along Queen Charlotte Dr until they found the perfect spot to watch the huge ship come in.

‘‘I’ve never seen a cruise ship,’’ Mrs Reeve said. ‘‘It’s lovely. I’d love to be in it.’’

The Voyager, the largest of the cruise ships that will visit Picton this summer, docked at Waimahara Wharf, in Shakespeare Bay, about 2pm on Saturday. It was scheduled to leave at 10pm, giving passengers time to explore Picton or other parts of Marlborough.

The 138,000-tonne cruise ship can accommodate about 3100 passengers.

The passengers included Debbie Bendon, an Australian woman who backpacked around the South Island 25 years ago. She and husband Jim Bendon boarded the Voyager of the Seas in Sydney on December 22 and are due to return home to Western Australia on Saturday.

Mrs Bendon said she could not believe the changes to Picton since her last visit.

‘‘All of those houses on the hills weren’t there when I was here,’’ she said.

She was hoping to visit the backpackers’ hostel she stayed in last time, but could not remember the name.

‘‘I met a girl called Vicki there and we ended up travelling around the South Island together,’’ she said. ‘‘It was such a great trip, I was really excited to come back.’’

Mr Bendon said they plan to come again for an extended holiday with their two children.

‘‘I love it,’’ he said.