When we were initially putting together our itinerary for New Zealand, its capital city wasn’t even on it. Then we changed our minds, and – in the end – visiting it didn’t disappoint. On the contrary, we liked very much what we experienced there.
Day 68, Tuesday, November 12: Wellington
After an attempt to buy bread at a bakery in Whanganui (it turned out they sold everything but bread), we left town for Wellington around 10. The two-and-a-half-hour drive became a little bit longer because of the road construction we encountered.
Our room at the Bolton Hotel wasn’t available yet, but we could check in, leave our luggage there, and start our sightseeing.
The city – nestled between green hills and the harbor at the southern tip of the North Island – is home to around 400,000 people. It’s a mix of history, culture, and nature. It reminded us a little bit of Seattle.
We started at the nearby Parliament. We walked around the premises, saw a peaceful protest, and even entered the building. We liked their place of democracy!
Then came the impressive Wellington Waterfront. Walked leisurely on the promenade, had our lunch in a little café there, and did some people watching. Despite the nickname of the city “Windy Wellington,” the weather was sunny and not very windy this afternoon.
Around 3, instead of going to the hotel to occupy our room, we continued with the sightseeing.
Walked through the downtown area, and rode the iconic cable car for the amazing views of the city.
Checked out the cable car museum and (very briefly) the botanic garden too.
Back to the hotel to relax. On our way, we bought some food at one of the grocery stores where the service was incredibly slow. But we were on holiday – not in a hurry!
In the evening, shortly before 7, we started an exciting adventure. We were heading the Zealandia, an ecosanctuary, for a night walk. We hoped to see New Zealand’s famous bird, the kiwi.
Our tour started at 7:30, and lasted until 10. We were fortunate to have an enthusiastic and knowledgeable young guide. Our group of 12, from around the world (including a couple and their son from Seattle’s neighbor of Puyallup) equipped with lamps and headphones, had a really good time. And, guess what? Even though it wasn’t guaranteed, we did see a kiwi! And as a bonus, a tuatara! Both were on Steve’s lifelong wish list for a long time. Tonight, he was a really happy man.
