Wellington

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So the journey to Wellington was un-eventful because it was a fair old slog. A good five hour drive. It felt like more, especially as i was sat on the floor for the duration of the journey. Our driver "never leaves a man behind" because, well, who knows when the next bus with space would be. There was one point when we had to be hidden from view, at a police weigh station, but other than that, yeah, uneventful.

We stopped at Bulls for lunch. This is where everything has the word Bull in its name, so the police station is Consta BULL. Orginal? Maybe. Funny? Just a little bit...It was shortly after this that Fran left the bus to join some member of one or other side of her extended family thrice removed...

Wellington...is...a city. Nicer than Auckland. But smaller.

Our first night we collapsed. It had been an interesting few days, meeting people, activities, travelling, distances, saying goodbye. We grabbed a pizza, had a few ciders, then hit the sack. We slept well, and i even kept my eyes shut till gone nine! When i did wake, i went and got supplies, had a bit of breakfast. Then Rob joined me and we headed to the museum.

Must be said, Te Papa Museum in Wellington is a must if you're in the city. We had Fish and Chips for dinner and had arranged to meet Somer and Seb, and Emma and Lizi to go to the concert in the Botanical Gardens. It was good, we got a crate, had a few beers and really just chilled out in good company. The music wasn't too bad either...

The following day Somer was ill, so after lunch, as arranged, Seb Rob and I headed up Mt Victoria to get the stunning views across the town and outlying mountains and countryside and sea. It was a little windy though and at times i feared i would take of like a kite! It really was the windy.

That night Rob and I haeded to the welsh bar for drinks and to watch a welsh boy playing a few songs. We got chatting to the owners and a sequence of events began to unfold. First of all the owners wife had not only been born in the same year as my mum, but gone to the same college, only a little further down the road in Cardiff, but they had also met in Bumpers, the same club as my parents met! Freaky stuff.

This was the same night we met Anton. What can i say about this guy! He is an absolutely bloody legend. He bought us a drink then introduced himself. We talked for a while and then he had written down his address and said if we needed anything to come and see him. He suggest we should go fishing with him tomorrow and we should meet at his place after lunch. At this point Rob pointed out that he did not yet know our names. So we introduced ourselves.

The following days after lunch we sheepishly knocked on the door of a very characteristic wooden house to be met by the smiling bearded face of Anton.

"Come in, come in! Tea? Coffee? Juice? Water? Beer?"

Immediately we were accepted and introduced to his room mates before he declared that we were meeting the boys for touch, were we in? Damn straight. We played a little rugger, and a little soccer beofre i twisted my ankle. It was immensly painful. He then took us back to his, cooked us a massive dinner of spag bol, i even had seconds, and then we headed down and came a massive third in the welsh bar pub quiz! I don't think we paid for a drink all night. God knows we tried, he jsut wouldn't let us!

Peace out.

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