Stonehenge Aoteroa and Paua World
Trip Start
Aug 13, 2007
1
30
91
Trip End
Dec 31, 2008
Carteton,
New Zealand
Saturday, December 8, 2007
On Thursday evening, there was a CIMA Xmas party that I went along to, and dragged Graham to as well. There was the usual drink and nibbles, and it was good to get my face known by other CIMA members. You never know when you might need a contact. Wellington CIMA branch is very small, and most of them have finished their studies already.
We met a couple, Sarah and Gareth. Gareth was in the same position as Graham in that he had been dragged along as well, and actually works for Ericsson Phones. We got on well with them and went out to dinner afterwards. Whilst we were eating, David Beckham and about 4-5 other LA Galaxy players walked into the restaurant, to have a meal. Not sure spicy food is the best preparation for a game but never mind. I was surprised at how low key they were. If you hadn't seen them walk in, you wouldn't have noticed. They sat right at the back of the restaurant, and had one security guy who sat a couple of tables in front of them and stopped anyone going to bother them. There were two kids who tried to get autographs but the security guy stopped them. I hope he said just to wait until they had finished eating, and didn't turn them away completely. We left before them, so I don't know whether they got their autographs in the end!
We went to the game on Saturday and it was the first time the stadium was almost full. Normally for a game there is about 10000 people there, but on Saturday there was approx 31000 - a new record for New Zealand football. The atmosphere was fantastic. It helped that the weather was superb, and at one point, a mexican wave went round the stadium a few times! I've never seen so many camera flashes in a game before though, it was almost comical!
On Friday 7th December, it was my work's Christmas Party, starting at 4pm. They hired out a function room in The Loaded Hog, a bar on Queens Wharf. They had decorated it with balloons, and provided free drinks and some nibbles. The whole of Transpower Wellington were invited, so there were a few hundred people there. It was a really good party, but unfortunately I didn't have my camera so didn't take any photos.
Next day we headed away for the rest of the weekend, to Cape Palliser, via the Wairarapa, a wine growing region near Wellington. First stop was Carterton for a visit to Stonehenge Aotearoa and Paua World.
To visit Stonehenge Aotearoa you have to make a booking. They do guided tours at 2pm on a daily basis, costing $15 each. The weather was a bit drizzly and we were considering skipping the visit, but we're glad we didn't, as it was a lot better than we thought it would be. The tour starts with an audio-visual presentation lasting around 20mins. Following this, the tour proceeds outside to the stones. The guy giving the tour (whose name I've forgotten) is a member of the Phoenix Astronomical Society and the focus was on astronomy and astrology, and how you can use the stones as effectively a giant calendar. Fascinating stuff! I'm probably not selling it very well, but it's well worth a look, even if you've been to the Stonehenge in Salisbury, as we have.
After we finished at Stonehenge, we went to Paua World. Paua are a type of shellfish, and the shells are the most colourful in the world. It is very popular here as used to make jewellery, and some gifts. Luckily though, there are strict quotas imposed on the amount of paua that can be caught. The jewellery is really brightly coloured and vibrant. At Paua World, on weekdays, you can see the craftsmen working in the factory. I bought a couple of necklaces as a treat for myself, as most of my jewellery is still in the UK.
We then headed to our accommodation for the night, at Lake Ferry. This was the ideal base to visit Cape Palliser on Sunday morning. We arrived at Lake Ferry, early evening, and it's such a little, remote place, it was idyllic. We stayed at the Lake Ferry Hotel, which also has a restaurant and bar. The food at the restaurant was delicious, and the room was comfortable enough. There was no TV or any other distractions, so it was really nice just to relax and enjoy being away from the hustle and bustle of normal life.
