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Published: June 15th 2008
Hey guys!
Last we left you we were in Auckland and heading to Wellington. Well, we made it. After a 10.5 hour bus ride. We saw sheep, Mount Doom (from Lord of the Rings!!!), and a great big lake that is actually a volcano crater that exploded 26 000 years ago called Lake Taupo.
Wellington, is beautiful. Our hostel sits right on the ocean, and when we were walking to it late last night, (ok it was 6:30, but it gets dark here REALLY EARLY!) we asked for directions and nice woman drove us to it! It is great here. The whole central non-central heating thing still really gets to me at night, cause it gets quite chilly when that heater turns off. Either way, we got in, dropped off our bags and headed to a local bar to watch the England vs. New Zealand rugby match. It was really awesome but Kim... well, lets just say jet lag is still attacking her, and the whole early darkness thing doesn't help... so we left at 8:30 to hit the hay because she couldn't stay awake... oops.
So today we woke up around 8:30, caught the train into Wellington,
St. Mary of the Angels
This is the Catholic church we went to this morningnearly lost Kim's camera, hopped off and walked along the wharf. We went to mass at St. Mary of the Angels, which was really beautiful, but everything sung was in Latin with Gregorian chants. Neat, but long and hard to sing along with. But we chatted with the priest afterwards because they are actually hosting a group for Days in the Diocese for WYD.
We then walked down towards the harbour and stopped at a billabong store where I found a surfer shirt thingy for cheap as it is their winter here! Now I am all ready for surfing! Look out Australia here I come!! We then walked down to the harbour and grabbed a bite at the library cafe. We walked through the this park in the harbour with a really funky bridge thing on our way to the Te Papa museum. Well me being the goofy person that I am sometimes starting to sing a song about the museum because what instantly came to mind when I say the name of this museum, Tch-Pow pow, tch pow pow! Now sing that repeatedly in a latin beat and you get Ricky Martin shaking his bon bon! So that
Te Pa Pa Museum and Harbour
The Te Pa Pa Museum in Wellington and the adjacent harbour. is now our song for the Te Papa museum. THis museum was actually very cool. It had several floors with all sorts of stuff about earthquakes, power of water, indigineous animals, a huge maori exhibit, and the whole settlers coming to NEw Zealand. Neither of us realized just how much the settlers destroyed the natural environment here.
We then walked back to this hiking gear store to buy Kim a really cool hat that we had seen earlier on the way to the cable car which took us up to the Wellington Botanical Gardens. These were really cool because the view of the city was amazing and they are free and open to the public all of the time. The sun really sets early here though as by 5 it was dark and it was difficult to see a lot. We then walked through a creepy graveyard on the way down to the Parliament buildings and the Beehive building. I have no idea what the building is used for but it looked very wierd. We then caught a train back to Plimmerton where we are staying and got some fish and chips for supper to satisfy Kim's craving! Yum
A Maori House
Look at the elaborate inside of their houses! Yum although the pieces were HUGE! They make docherties pieces look like a skittle!
Now we are just hunkering down for the night and writing to all of you! Yeah!!!
Off to the South Island tomorrow!
Love you all!!!
Dennis and Kim
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Mom and Dad at home
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Papa ooh mau mau
Again, another wonderful adventure down under. Finally stopped raining at home, not as cold as you apparently. Glad to see your camera download is working. Hope you get over that jet lag. I guess you are missing that day you lost. Cute hat.