It can only be Wellington – houses overlooking the sea clinging to bush-clad hills.
Having travel to Wellington several times with work it was about time we explored the place properly. So we base ourselves in a Zebra-striped 5 storey backpackers hostel on Tory Street (opposite the Telecom NZ office) and set about exploring.
Our backpackers accommodation on Tory Street
First we headed to the only Welsh bar in the southern hemisphere, the Welsh Dragon on Cambridge Terrace (a converted former public convenience). We are warmly welcomed by Mike & Jo Howard from the Mumbles, Swansea. The bar is full of Welsh memorabilia and we all signed the Welsh flag before heading off to a Māori café called Kai which is just around the corner and extremely small (4 tables seating 24 people – I have had almost as many people round for supper in my kitchen).
Kai in the City. What a fun evening.
An explanation of what happened could be the subject of a blog post in its own right but the short version is that our Māori host / cook played his guitar and sang Māori songs. The guitar was passed to a table of Māori school governors who then sang their own Māori song before a table Māori/ Pakeha twenty-something year olds who were there to say goodbye to one of their friends who was travelling overseas played the guitar and sang a more up-to-date set of songs. The four retired Australians on the neighbouring table (all the tables in the restaurant are neighbouring as there are only four tables and its a small place) joined. Needless to say the Welsh national anthem was sung by the Welsh table to much applause. It was a very jovial evening as can be seen from the above photo in which we are all trying no to laugh.
The next day the Antartic wind blows in bitterly cold weather. Rain coats, fleece and three layer is the recipe for the day. Wellington is a ‘real’ place where people pay attention to the weather forecast and dress for the conditions.
Bitterly cold weather demands a coat, fleece, three layers and a beanie.
I’d arranged to go on a seal safari so we meet our man and jump into a Toyota land cruiser and speed out of the city. Despite this being the capital city, within 8 miles we are on un-mettled roads and within 10 miles we are on a road only suitable for the most rugged of 4x 4s and are scattering mountain goats.
The route of the seal safari, a rough track by any standards.
With the sea roaring in we drive along the beach but this experience shares little in common with driving down 90 mile beach a few months ago. 90 mile beach was wide, flat and sandy and 2 wheel drive town-car friendly . This beach is rocky, undulating and narrow (10 m between cliff and sea in some places).
Hard to believe we’re less than ten miles from downtown Wellington
We drive for perhaps 20 mins (past some shacks which are permanently occupied homes but which have the appearance of a farmyard GWR wagon) and eventually arrived at a point and lighthouse where we are able to walk within 10 m of a colony of seals who stare back at us as we take photos (the marine protection act prevents us going closer though the seals seem unfazed).
Seal colony at Tongue Point with the ‘leaning lighthouse’ in the background (designed by an Italian?)
Though in human-terms the weather is bitterly cold, the seals are there to warm up and have a rest!! We leave after 20 mins and a cup of tea.
A cup of tea to warm-up before heading back….
On the way back we passed a beach where the pacific ocean meets the Tasman sea (like Cape Reinga, there is a distinct line of colour difference where the two seas meet). Within 20 mins we are back in the centre of the city, quite an experience and incredible that such a wild and remote place is so close to sophisticated cafe culture. We spend the afternoon looking around Wellington. The weather is not good !!
The next day it’s all change. It’s a gloriously crisp, blue sky, sunny day. And it’s true, you cannot beat Wellington on a good day. It’s absolutely stunning.
Wellington city from the harbour.
We catch a ferry to Days Bay which is 30 mins away. We see several penguins swimming in the sea on the way. To the north are snow capped peaks and to the south is the Cook Straights and the South Island. The panorama is spectacular, the sun is warm and breakfast at the chocolate fish café awaits.
Days Bay and the chocolate fish cafe, across the harbour from Wellington.
Days bay has 3 cafes and houses which cling to the base of the mountain and is directly opposite Wellington across the bay. The views again are spectacular (I am getting a bit blasé about scenery and it really does need to be exceptional to get a mention!!). The food is good and the children play on the beach collecting shells and skimming pebbles on the mill pond still Wellington bay.
We catch the midday ferry back and walk along Wellington’s waterfront. Ellie Cari and Meg play in the various parks that cater very well for children – the challenging nature of Wellington’s climate means that when the weather is good all of humanity descends on the front and promenade Spanish style.
A great weekend in a great little city.
NewZealandly 