Blog #27 – January 1, 2011 – Wellington

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Blog #27 – January 1, 2011 – Wellington - photos coming!
Most of Wellington was closed down for New Year’s Day but we still found entertainment. We drove to the Botanical Gardens and had a lovely walk through. Susan was busy photographing plants that might look well in the garden that she is creating around her new house in Perth. Then we went to a star show in the Wellington Obervatory (planetarium). I think that it is just as well that I live in the northern hemisphere, because even after all of the dot-to-dot lines and instructions, I still can’t identify the southern cross or locate south in the night sky. Then, we joined an afternoon ‘Lord of the Rings Tour’ which took us to various locations used in the filming of the 3 movies, and told us stories about other locations on both islands. If you really are interested, back in Canada I will be happy to show you our many pictures from this tour. For the blog – just a few.

Apparently, tourism in New Zealand has doubled since the movies aired world wide, and the movie making industry has flourished, in part because Peter Jackson and his group Weka Studios trained many local people at each location to work in the many aspects of set design, props, as ‘extras’ etc. creating a trained work force available to other producers would decide to shoot here. As well, Weka Studios has become a leading force in animation and worked for 5 years on the animation for Avatar. Our tour took us through a very posh area built on staggeringly steep streets, where the garages are at street level and a sort of elevator carries both residents and their groceries/purchases etc. up to the house level. In the photo note the green cube asceding on a mono rail to the left of the red garage door.

After the LOTR tour we did a self conducted walking tour around downton Wellington, seeing various historic buildings. We took the cable car to get back up to the Botanical Gardens where we had parked. Then, back to our backpackers and a fish and chips and gingerbeer supper on the beach – I will miss the gingerbeer.

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Comments

[Steve Thornton]

Greetings from Ottawa
Hi Carole! I was just cruising around the web and came across your blog of your trip to New Zealand - it sounds amazing! Certainly a bit different weather than here (or your home). Love the photos, hi to Jim & your family. Take Care! Steve

[Margret Ingibergsson]

Dear Carole, I have really enjoyed your blog even though it makes me crazy with envy. I can just hear your voice when I am reading them. I am learning a lot about New Zealand and what you haven’t patiently explained, I look up on Wikipedia (like ops shops). I sounds as if it has been a wonderful trip. Margret