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Published: January 21st 2008
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Friday 18th On the bus again before 8, collect everyone, and the bus is buzzing with the news that a British backpacker was murdered around the corner from our hostel yesterday - no one knows much but there's plenty of rumours, along with talk of the plane crash at Heathrow. Meantime, we head off on the road, through some more beautiful scenery, with some photo stops, through the Desert Road, stopping a couple of hours later at the Gumboot Manor for 'breakfast', and in Otakpi(?) for an early lunch (chip butties anyone?).
By 2pm we've got our first sight of Wellington, and then we're given a brief bus tour and taken up to Mount Victoria for panoramic views of the city before being dropped in our hostels. At the moment I'm the only one in my room, so I try and sort a few things, before ringing Nick at 430. He comes to collect me about 6ish, shows me a few bits of the city, then says have I chosen anywhere to eat? Wasn't looking but say why not something Asian because of 'old times', so Nick knows a Cambodian restaurant Ollie has been to... We head there for some
more beautiful Beef Lok Lak. Nick then takes me back up Mount Victoria and shows me Oriental Bay before dropping me off. I'm still tired/stiff after yesterday but say hi to Julie with her kids Katherine and Felicity (who I'm sharing with) before falling into a deep sleep!
Saturday 19th Nick says they won't be in contact until at least 1pm, so after 10.5 hours of much needed sleep, I have a slow breakfast and head for Te Papa. It's worth a look (it's free!) as it has some interesting (interactive) exhibits, but after 2 hours have had enough and head back. Shortly after get a text from Ollie telling me when/where to be ready and what to bring - we're off to the beach!
Ollie has his sister Toyah with him, and we find the beach (west coach 'beaches' are rock/grey sand, need to head east for beautiful sand!)... Bit of a tramp, and then we have a rock to climb up. Find a big group of friends on the rock - many from Nick/Ollie's church. Half of them are jumping from rocks - I soon join in although I'm not sure about the BIG jump. Water's
quite cold so we warm up with a sausage sizzle/beer... Then I go for the big jump. Leah is below debating jumping so I nearly decide not to, but eventually just go! Have some fun with the underwater camera before heading back to someone's house for a chat/BBQ... And a watch of my skydive DVD. Nothing too late, and ready for another good night's sleep!
Sunday 20th Another 9.5 hours of sleep and I'm ready to be collected 10am by Ollie's Mum Cathy. We're off to Celebration Church - I think it's going to be a bit different. Ollie is playing the drums and the music is so loud there's an option of earplugs! I'm fine though and enjoy all the music - over an hour of it - not that I recognise any of the songs! There's then a short break followed by the message re: being aware of the Glory of God - evident everywhere. After the service there's a sausage sizzle, $1 per sausage - beautiful!
The group have decided to go to Breaker Bay to swim, so I get a lift with Ollie who takes the long way round to show some beautiful scenery
(and a number of dive sites). We stop at the Bay of Islands to buy some food, then turn up on the beach. Ollie says don't go past the rock, that's the nudist beach! The afternoon is great - jumping in the sea, watching Rick catch fish with his Hawaiin Harpoon, chatting, nibbling on snacks! Rick catches 4 big fish, could have been more if not so cold, so Ollie still has his hotplate so cooks them up. Pretty tasty!
Plans had been raised to go to a free concert in the Botanic Gardens but instead we head back to Ollie's house for some home-brew, sandwiches, chat, option of poker, look at photos, and started watching the film Krull (we didn't get to the end, but funny seeing Robbie Coltrane/Todd Carty/Liam Neeson in early roles). En route we'd stopped to have a go on the rope swing - I got 3 swings instead of the one planned! Was dropped back off knowing that had tomorrow to do other stuff, and that it was Wellington Day, so lots would be closed!
Monday 21st Spend the morning relaxing/sorting a few things out, then set out to find the Cable Car.
Go viw the waterfront and seems to be plenty going on there - including plenty of the sculptures Ollie mentioned. Find the Cable Car - not too expensive so head up it, wander round the Cable Car Museum at the top, wait patiently to get the quintessential shot of the Cable Car coming up the hill. Short wander round the Botanic Gardens then head back down and wander back along the waterfront, try out a raspberries & cream gelatto, spot the $1million wiggling water-stick! Get to Oriental Bay, but the fountain obviously observes the city holiday too as it's not on! Have spotted 'Sally the Porsche' from the movie Cars so that's OK then! Headed back to Courtney Place and found a cheap(er) internet café to upload my photos (after found one even cheaper... Can get $3 hour if you look!). Can't decide what to cook so buy an Indian takeaway, head back to the hostel, and find some people from my previous hostel. Dinner's not that impressive, head back to the internet, pack up as much as possible and read/relax for the evening!
Tuesday 22nd, early ferry to the South Island, ending up in Nelson in the evening,
3 nights.
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