Wellington - the Capital of NZ - for Easter

It occurred to me that I have been pretty bad at keeping a journal and so most of what I will remember from my trip will be on here...for the world to see. And so I just remembered a few things I had not mentioned before like 1. I was filmed by a German tv programme while I was working with the dolphins in Monkey Mia and so if anyone is ever in Germany...ha ha What else was I going to mention, yeah I had to tell you a bit of a cracker...it only took me about 5 months to realise my camera had a view finder, my friend Mandirs liked to laugh at me about this one as I was laughing at her expense over something I can't even remember now! I don't think I mentioned before that when I was in the 'bay of Islands' - northern NZ, I hired a bike for the day. And I didn't just hire a bike, I moved out of my youth hostel as the one next door let you use their bikes and kayaks for free! Well my youth hostel was asking for ten bucks which is what three quid fifty, it all adds up you know! So yeah, this bike after I was on it for maybe 10 minutes I realised...it did not have gears. Well, 2nd thoughts on going up the hill I was planning on going up, but I thought, what the heck I will do it anyway and I did. I met a couple of Germans on the way up as well, they were on 'good bikes' - ie they had gears and they could not believe I was attempting these hills without gears. But afterall I am a woman on a mission and I wasn't letting lack of gears hold me back...too much! It was a heck of a job and it must be said I even took the germans going down hill as thats what I enjoy the most and they were braking way too much! So I got to my destination...a waterfall...which ended up being a very wee fall of water but its not all about where you are going but the journey...I should know that as well as many others! And so time to cycle back and my map seemed to be pointing down another road to get back to our destination which seemed easier than the way we had came so I pointed it out to the Germans and I went on my way...they overtook me of course, mainly up hill for a while. About an hour later I was surrounded by hills and trees and I was cycling on a busy main road where cars were overtaking me at 100kph. And so having no lights and not sure if I was even going in the right direction I asked a local farmer if I was on the right road (I was sure I was going to see the Germans cycling back and cursing me!). It seemed it was fine and so I kept on another 20 minutes and got back before it got 'really' dark. Thank goodness. And on complaining to other hostellers about the 'free cycles' I was told I was darn lucky, the other 2 'free bikes' don't have brakes!

Well, here I am in Wellington. Robert from Mnt Tabor Trust took me from Helensville and drove me to Auckland where I wondered round until it was time to catch my bus. As it was Easter time it was very busy and there were 5 buses travelling to Wellington for the Easter weekend and so the 'Inter city' bus company had lots of staff running around and doing...not a lot. After waiting ages for them to tell us which buses we were on I was given a 'blue' slip and went to my bus, to be then told to go on the next one up, they told me to get back to my 'blue' bus, meanwhile hundreds of people are trying to get themselves on a decent seat on their buses. During all this - positive for the company - they did have the 'Easter Bunny' in full outfit jumping around and giving everyone a wee easter treat, and being a chocoholic I did appreciate this. However, they also had a cameraman wandering around, I am not sure if this is to show the world how they cope in a crisis or for some advertising purposes but I don't think I was smiling as I had just been told to return to my original 'blue' bus by a not very nice man.

Anyway, on the bus I was talking to a man who knew all there was to know about the journey we were commencing - leaving 8pm from Auckland and arriving in Wellington at 7am in the morning. He went on to tell me a lot about the history of all the places we were passing...in the dark. From coal power stations to sacred maori burial places. I was not overly bored by what he was saying as it was quite interesting but by 1 in the morning when he was waking me up to point something or other out...I was getting a bit annoyed!

Since arriving in Wellington I have been very tired but happy. It is a beautiful place with a gorgeous harbour and mountains and trees surrounding the city. I have been mainly walking around in the nature these last couple of days I have had here. I walked up Mnt Victoria today, which is really more of a big hill than anything but still spectacular views and lovely nature walk. Yesterday I went along the harbour walkway which is gorgeous and saw 'civic square', the museum 'te papa' - 'the museum of new zealand' - which is 'free' and had some fantastic exhibits, I especially enjoyed looking at some of the maouri history and struggle. Something not so much for me but more for Tolkien fans, there is a big 'Lord of the Rings' exhibition on at the moment, but you had to pay to get in to that...so I didn't bother! I have also enjoyed the botanical gardens and the cable car to get up there is like something we would have in Glasgow, its a really old cable car. The views again were great.

Well I get the ferrie to Picton tonight and so I will be on my way. I think one of the best things today was meeting a lovely 'Indian' family and having a chat about India. They were lovely and I enjoyed chatting with them. They took a photo of me on top of Mnt Victoria. I wanted this photo as it took me at least 45 minutes to walk up there and the majority of people were driving up!!!

Until next time. See ya very soon. Not long til I am home.

Sylv x