Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Wellington, New Zealand.

View over Wellington


We arrived in Wellingon at night, and managed to get lost multiple times in the city. It was like London with all the one way streets, which we wouldn't have minded too much if only they were marked correctly in our road atlas. My first impressions of Wellington were therefore not that great, added to the fact that it looked like a cardboard cut-out city. It wasn't a very pretty city to look at up close, but as time went by the place really started to grow on me. We met some great people there, and got to see some amazing views showing off the location of the city.

Another view of Wellington


There's a fountain right in the middle of a bay!


Yet more rainbows - they're everywhere!

A double rainbow! The photo doesn't capture it as well as it looked in real life. Always the way...


We went and had lunch at the Chocolate Fish cafe in Scorching Bay, supposedly a favourite with the film lot here in Wellywood. It was a quirky little place with great food, beautiful desserts and tasty milk shakes. Just outside there were colourful murals over the walls and stunning views over the rainbow filled bays.

The Paua Shell murals in Scorching Bay


At church the next day, a chap came up to me and said "I saw your zebra van yesterday in Scorching Bay". He turned out to the property owner of the cafe and the guy who created all the murals! Small world.

This is Aarie (sp??), the guy who made the murals in Scorching Bay


We decided to try and park up in the church carpark to get a good nights sleep, but we saw the lights on the building so felt we should go and knock on the door. We met the youth group who were painting posters for their room in the attic. A very creative bunch in Wellington!

Katie and her poster - my favourite poster.


The Te Papa is a huge museum in town that was recently built. We spent a couple of hours wandering around inside. There was lots to see - exhibitions, short movies, art galleries, coffee shops, etc. It was a well designed building, inside and out.

More Maori carvings in Wellington - quite scary some of them...


We were recommended to take a walk along the coast to go and see the red rocks and the seals. It was great to see the seals in their natural habitat - right by a city!

They just lie there basking in the sun!


The sun was starting to set so we decided to head back to the van before it got dark.

Sunset in Wellington - the South Island was beckoning.


We were booked on the ferry to the south island early the next morning.

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