Wellington Neighbourhood: Kelburn

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While in Wellington, I got busy uploading some of the pictures I have taken in December which I was previously unable to get on to the server.

When I arrived in Wellington on Dec 20th I was struck by how hilly the area was. It took several days to get accustomed to climbing steep hills everywhere. In fact, it was a challenge to find a route to do my run, as I don't do hills when running. "Can't" is more accurate. The first time I ran, I walked until I found a flat stretch, then ran back and forth. The next time I went out, I began timing my run from the moment I began climbing the 32 steps outside the back door of Erin's house, to the street.

By the second or third time of doing my runs like that, I began to hear the music theme from "Rocky" playing in my head as I started to do my slow run up the slightest of Wellington climbs. I can handle 10 or maybe 15% of an incline on a really good day.

By the end of my stay I became aware of the fact that my calves were no longer screaming as I walked along anywhere in Wellington. Progress!

I must say, coming back the second time with a car put Wellington in a different light. While it was blustery while we were there together, it was not nearly as windy as it had been in December. As a passenger in other people's cars, I couldn't really get a sense of direction either, as I usually didn't have a map, and people whizzed around corners, up hills, dodging parked cars and whirling around the traffic circles (a bit boggling considering the driving is on the left around here.) This time around, I was the navigator with a map, and things didnt' seem as confusing on top of the familiarity I had from my last visit. I did alot more walking on my own than when we all three were together. Walking up a hill in the wind and rain is a different experience altogether!!!!

So, while the rest of Aucklanders say, "Why would anyone want to live in Wellington???" I do want to be fair and say that THIS TIME AROUND it didnt' seem as severe as the first time.

They do say in Wellington, and in fact around NZ, that you can experience four seasons in just one day here. And I have experienced it.

I also wanted to add that while here I went to the Te Papa Museum, renowned nationally and internationally for its interactive exhibits. I loved it there, and for some reason the admission is free.
I will write more later about it - editing this blog.

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Photos

Erin's Place
I hung a yellow sheet in Erin's room mate's window so I could tell from the bridge, which house was hers! The house clings to the side of the hill, as do most Wellington houses.

Entrance to Erin's place
Mailboxes are perched on gate posts, and most folks seem to receive most of their mail. The house number could be on the mail box or gate post or fence. The taxi driver missed it first time around.

Top of the stairs
Imagine getting out of a taxi with one 70 lb suitcase and another smaller one and a purse, then negotiating THIS! There are 32 steps down to Erin's place. Fortunately, hers are spaced out a bit with turns and wide steps making the angle slightly less steep.

From the same bridge
Erin's neighbourhood is called Kelburn. It is near the university.

Erin's street in Kelburn
The white car is owned by a neighbour, and this is where cars are parked if you don't have a garage or constructed parking spot. Two lanes of traffic have to squeeze by as well.

Can you see what it is?
I am looking down from the road, at a stairway access to a house on the same road as Erin's house. I was fascinated by the awkward accesses so many people had to their homes.

Road up above
These houses have addresses on the street far above them. They are neighbours on Erin's street, and some may have access down to another street below, by walking down steep sidewalk paths and stairs that form a network between the houses.

The view
Just walking up Erin's street

Look at this staircase!
How would you like to climb these stairs after a day at work? Every day!? People in Wellington have lived with this every day of their lives and think nothing of it.

Character in spades
Every entrance to a home had something of interest to me in my wanderings around the neighbourhood. This house is on the opposite side of the street to Erin's place.

Constructed Parking Spot
This is what you do to have a place to park off the street in Wellington. You build a porch for the car! As Erin remarked, most of these porches on her street afford the driver a better vantage point for the view than the house itself.(because you go down the hill to the house.)

Just round the corner
from Erin's - it's an uphill climb, with a few parking spots sticking out over the brow of the hill.

Closer look at a parking spot
There is enough room for two cars in this parking spot accessed from the street. Supported by wooden beams below, most appear rather precarious to this skeptical pair of eyes.

Boarded up windows
but still has a welcoming sign for services. This church is in a cluster of buildings at the top of Erin's street. A string of shops are just opposite.

Medical Centre
A bit different approach, going for medical services in a house. But handy for the locals.

Another surgery
Just nearby is another medical business.This one is called a Surgery - like the British term for doctor's offices. Where a couple of physicians have their practices.

Another street at the top of Erin's
Strolling along in the evening looking at the variety in each building. Not many houses in NZ have basements but on these hills they usually need some sort of base to even it out.

I don't get tired
of looking at all the buildings. If you do, just skip these ones.

The FLAT SECTION
Here it is, the one spot in the entire loop of streets in Kelburn that was flat. I saw alot of this strip that first time I ran back and forth.

Yet another sloping walkway
No one on the street has an easy access to their house.