The Road to Windy Wellington

Trip Start May 31, 2007
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Trip End Sep 13, 2007


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Thursday, August 30, 2007

After Taupo we backtracked through King Country up to see more little glinting star like creatures (Glow Worms) at the Waitomo Caves, the worms were just as bright and amazing but the caves were much more commercial - more in line with Wookey Hole in the West Country (UK). Headed further North West to checked out Raglan and the Tasman Sea - a small seaside town, off season in the rain, needless to say we were the only people around.  Returned on our southward journey along a unsealed road (much to Jon's amusement and my anxiety we rumbled along the cliff edge, the whole bus shaking) to Kawhia (pronounced - 'Kar-fee-a) this is the seaside town that they should have shut down (as Morrisey famously sang) but after traveling such a long way in one day we had to spend the night there in a very basic and tried campsite on the waters edge.

Now back on track traveled back to Mt Tongario and Mt Ruapehu  (our first visit the weather was so cloudy that we could not see the mountains at all) so to arrive on a bright sunny afternoon with the snow capped mountains and the fresh crisp snow all around was incredible - it seemed weird to have woke up on a beach in the sunshine and now be in the snow having to put on our thermals to have a snow ball fight.  We slept amongst the snowy alpine woods.

Did the next leg to Wellington in one hit, arriving one late afternoon to experience the winds on Wellington first hand.  We really really liked Wellington - it really had a good feel about it (despite the chilly winds) it was modern, funky, relaxed and much more cosmopolitan than Auckland but blinking windy!  Our first two days there the windy did not stop and through the night the winds batted our little camper.  The Te Papa museum was excellent so much to do and see with no crowds.  Our final day in Wellington and the weather change for the better - calm, warm and sunny.  The city took on a whole new life - the streets were busy with people playing in the water front parks, lunching or drinking coffee in the warm Sunday sun - such a contrast.  We would have liked more time in Wellington.

Got the ferry across to the South Island, waving goodbye to the North Island at the same time as waving hello to the South - once out on open sea you can see both Islands, only nine miles separating the two.  The scenery was again breathtakingly beautiful and the huge ferry skillfully made it ways the Queen Charlotte Sounds to Picton.
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