Wonderful Wellington!

Wellington was a very happy return for me. Warm sunshine and low humidity greeted our day and, because I had done a tour of the city last time, I felt comfortable suggesting the shuttle bus into the city and ‘doing our own thing’. One thing I hadn’t done previously was a walk along the waterfront, so this became our first activity. One of the friendly city guides greeted us off the bus with a map and some advice for our day. We subsequently found guides at all the key places and more friendly and helpful folk you would be hard pushed to find anywhere.

Along the sea front we immediately came across a huge bunch of learners on roller blades and, as with all learners, they were progressing at very different rates. It looked like a girls’ school outing (such fun) and they were certainly enjoying even the falling down as they were kitted out with knee and elbow pads. Also setting off were a group of learner kayakers. The seafront is full of the usual eateries as well as some of the more unusual. Our choice for coffee was a Maori-run cafe within a much larger function venue offering sea views at the front and lake views at the back. The whole walk along to the harbour offered lovely city views, spectacular sea views, with yachts flying their spinnakers, and a variety of boardwalks and bridges.

We then made our way inland in search of the cable car which takes you up the mountain to view the city and on into the Botanical Gardens. We managed to walk past loads of lovely shops, and apart from a quick ‘recce’ into a shoe shop, we escaped with our purses intact. From the cable car, the views across the city and the bay are well worth the few dollars for the ride and Ann and I chose to stand right at the front of the tram to take photos en route. (No competition for the professionals but great photo fun).

We elected to go back to the harbour for lunch and found a bar with more varieties of beer than we had seen before. However, only one of us chose to partake….now, who might that have been, Ann?! More walking after lunch before heading back to the ship. As we walked, the wind picked up and we watched a ferry listing heavily to starboard as it left the port. Oh dear, could it be rough seas for our journey to Napier?

Carolyn’s Curios & Curiosities

The Wellington Ambassador Guides were exemplary. Dressed in a noticeable yellow and black polo shirt, they were clearly visible and both welcoming and well-informed. Added to their number, we found a senior police officer who saw us and asked if we needed help. Great welcome; lovely people. For me, an extra bonus was the logo on their shirts which said, simply, “Absolutely positively”. Clever.

The lunchtime restaurant was marked for me by the hipster beards in abundance on the male staff and their frequent use of “Awesome” in reply to most questions. However, the food was… yes, awesome.

An advert on the side of a bus for a theatre production proclaimed ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream opens 7 December’. This, initially, seemed so incongruous until I reminded my self that December here was mid-summer. Hmm!

When we visit our preferred restaurant on board in the evening, we are greeted and asked for our room numbers. Needless to say, we don’t need to repeat it. This evening, in attempting to exchange pleasantries, our host asked if we were from Sydney. “No”, we replied almost in unison, “We’re from the UK – near Manchester and Liverpool”. “Which football team do you support?”, asked Kath. Immediately, I could see trouble brewing as Kath supports United and Ann, Liverpool. The poor guy realised he was on a loser whichever way he replied. He, diplomatically, tried for both but I noticed Kath high-fiving him as she left. A convert? Albeit a little cupboard love, perhaps.

Frequently, we are reminded that it is a small world. On board are Ann Jones, former Wimbledon Champion, and, lesser known nationally, of course, but I spotted the former Chief Adviser for Lancashire at dinner. Small world.

Ann Jones took part in the ‘On deck for a cause’ which is a 5km fundraising walk nine times round the deck. (Our Ann did it, too, more tomorrow.) She didn’t wear the event T-shirt but one which proclaimed, “”Well-behaved wenches rarely change history”. Yes!