Wellington
Well we've been taking a wee break from the hectic lifestyle of travelling. It's so exausting all this sun, sea and surf you know.
On Friday we left the YHA in Wellington City and headed about 50km up the West Coast to Paekakariki (I think they just make up these names to make you look stupid). The hostel is perched on a hill above the long grey sanded beach and we've watched the sun set over the South Island every evening except Saturday when we went into the big City to watch the one day cricket match between New Zealand and the West Indies. It was a bit of a mis-match and new zealand ran out comfortable winners.
It's a strange kind of atmosphere at cricket here. Because they sell beer it's like a big pub. The crowd is made up mostly of people in their late teens and twenties out with their mates for a good time. So after about 7 hours it's a bit of a party. The cricket is kind of by the by but the sunny weather just adds to the whole festival feel. Not guide your English Gentlemans club you get back in Blighty.
Before we left Wellington we went for a look round Korari Nature Reserve. A large parkland section of the city surrounding two old reservoirs and completely surrounded by a huge fence to keep out the predators which have destroyed so much of NZ's natural riches.
It's an amazing place with many birds we'd not seen in the wild and a few of the endemic Tautara, large lizards which sit motionless in the sun often in the same place. So despite being free to roam they can be seen in almost exactly the same spot every day.
Paekakariki is only 45 mins on the train to Wellington so we popped in again on Saturday for the cricket and Sunday to watch the start of the next leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. 5 60ft racing yachts heading off for Rio on their race around the world. They fairly speed along and are an awesome sight when they are heading off down the harbour at 20 knots. It was another carnival atmosphere as the crowds gathered round the harbour and the little yachts and boats attempted to keep up with the racing boats as they sped off on the beginning of a 22 day journey through the mighty Southern Ocean.
Anyway a last day relaxing in Paekakariki today then off to Whanganui tomorrow to prepare for a 2 day kayak down the Whanganui River.
The sun has left us today but it's still lovely and mild it doesn't look to be too far away. It hasn't been for the ast 3 weeks or so. It's a hard life.
On Friday we left the YHA in Wellington City and headed about 50km up the West Coast to Paekakariki (I think they just make up these names to make you look stupid). The hostel is perched on a hill above the long grey sanded beach and we've watched the sun set over the South Island every evening except Saturday when we went into the big City to watch the one day cricket match between New Zealand and the West Indies. It was a bit of a mis-match and new zealand ran out comfortable winners.
It's a strange kind of atmosphere at cricket here. Because they sell beer it's like a big pub. The crowd is made up mostly of people in their late teens and twenties out with their mates for a good time. So after about 7 hours it's a bit of a party. The cricket is kind of by the by but the sunny weather just adds to the whole festival feel. Not guide your English Gentlemans club you get back in Blighty.
Before we left Wellington we went for a look round Korari Nature Reserve. A large parkland section of the city surrounding two old reservoirs and completely surrounded by a huge fence to keep out the predators which have destroyed so much of NZ's natural riches.
It's an amazing place with many birds we'd not seen in the wild and a few of the endemic Tautara, large lizards which sit motionless in the sun often in the same place. So despite being free to roam they can be seen in almost exactly the same spot every day.
Paekakariki is only 45 mins on the train to Wellington so we popped in again on Saturday for the cricket and Sunday to watch the start of the next leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. 5 60ft racing yachts heading off for Rio on their race around the world. They fairly speed along and are an awesome sight when they are heading off down the harbour at 20 knots. It was another carnival atmosphere as the crowds gathered round the harbour and the little yachts and boats attempted to keep up with the racing boats as they sped off on the beginning of a 22 day journey through the mighty Southern Ocean.
Anyway a last day relaxing in Paekakariki today then off to Whanganui tomorrow to prepare for a 2 day kayak down the Whanganui River.
The sun has left us today but it's still lovely and mild it doesn't look to be too far away. It hasn't been for the ast 3 weeks or so. It's a hard life.
posted by PeterZ at 4:12 PM
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