New Zealand (stray) - Wellington

NEW ZEALAND

Wellington
28 Oct to 4 Nov

We arrive in windy Welly on Sunday afternoon. After laundry and powernap we have a few drinks out for the final time as group. I have decided to spend a few days here to explore the city, have a break from the bus and to recharge etc. Goodbye to Liam, Sasha, Cat, Lucy, Ciaran, Laura, Christine and driver Gollum - hopefully will see them again soon! I am left with co  strayers Becky and Tamara, and we later make friends with Irish backpacker Louise. We visit the museum, walk along the harbour, have a big coffee every morning, try sushi, go for long walks, fish and chips at the microbrewery, nights out (inc Hallowean), go to the cinema and get blown about by the wind!

I also finish the final book in the trilogy I've been reading since I started my travels - the excellent Millennium trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...etc) by Stieg Larsson.

Towards the end of my time here my original co travellers Dave and Adam catch up with me.

below: final night out before our group disperses. location is the base hostel's basement bar. L-R cat, kieron, laura, collum and sasha

below: Irish bar

below: finger banter (after i got mine stuck in a gate a few days ago)

below: Te Papa Museum



below: the kiwi bird (stuffed).

below: we find a book shop on the high street doing a book signing. Free wine, free nibbles and book browsing. It doesn't say invite only so....

below: Tamara on glass no 3...

below: Wellington

below: I tried sushi in Wellington and like it, this is hot on the heels of finding out I like egg! What next?!

below: cable car

below: Becky and Tamara on the cable car

below: view of Wellington

below: Botanic Gardens

below: Wellington

below: well earned fish and chips in a micro brewery pub by the quay

below: 'England' and 'Scotland' go for a few drinks and game of pool in the very friendly Welsh bar.

below: Westpac stadium

below: near Mount Victoria lookout

below: Irish backpacker Louise and Becky after our big walk that day

below: a boat in Wellington quay

below: sushi and Sauvigon Blanc in the 4 bed dorm. Like the sushi but the white wine was awful.

Tamara left a few days before me, Louise left too and Becky stays in welly to find a job. It's been a good week here but tomorrow I jump on the ferry to the South island, get picked up by the bus and continue the trip. First stop is a vineyard followed by Abel Tasman National Park for 4 days (hop off).