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Things to do in Wellington?

My Mamma came over for a quick visit to check out how her bambina is getting on and to see for herself what the fair city of Wellington is like.  Question was what to do and show Mamma on her Wellington visit?

Panorama

City view

City view

For me, any visitor to Wellington should be given the opportunity to view Wellington and it’s scenic surrounds from some height and the Brooklyn Wind Turbine, accessed off Ashton Fitchett Drive, Brooklyn, Wellington is a fantastic vantage point. On a clear day you can see Kapiti Island, the South Island and a full sweep of Wellington city, up the Hutt Valley to the Rimutaka hills in the distance. Glorious, on a clear day!

Closer to hand, and possibly easier for most tourists, is a trip up to the top of Mount Victoria, which also assists in getting your city views and bearings as well as having helpful information boards about Wellington and it’s geography.

From the water

A trip on the Dominion Post Ferry to Days Bay gives an opportunity for a view of the city and the harbour from the water – although you would really only want to do that on a fair weather day!

Botanic Gardens

For a bit of exercise a brisk walk around the Botanic Gardens provides lovely vantage points over the city and nearby suburbs of Thorndon and Kelburn as well as the CBD and harbour area.  A walk along Lambton Quay to take the cable car up to the Botanics a kinder option, with a walk downwards through the Botanics saving some huffing and puffing!  Surely Wellington’s Botanic Gardens must be the hilliest in the world?!

Wharf and Te Papa

Oriental Bay

Oriental Bay

I love the accessibility of the harbour area, with it’s promenade and parks, restaurants and bars, and a walk along the wharf round to Oriental Parade is another worth while option, with a stop at a cafe on arrival at Oriental Bay to recharge the batteries!  Such a walk provides an opportunity to visit to Te Papa, Te Papa Tongarewa to give its full name – the Museum of New Zealand, with collections spanning Art, History, Pacific, Māori, and Natural Environment.

Zealandia – Karori Sanctuary

Karori Sanctuary

Karori Sanctuary

When we first visited Wellington three years ago we went to the Karori Sanctuary, now named Zealandia, which is an amazing conservation project.  We are serenaded by birds every day,  particularly come evening time Lambton Quay is a riot of bird chatter, and many say that since this project started the bird population has notably increased in the city.

There are plenty more things to do like visit Parliament, which is still on my to do list, Katherine Mansfield’s house, Thorndon Heritage trail, lots of walks along the ridge ways… I do feel that coming from a country with such abundance of history (our home in Edinburgh was built in 1850) means that I don’t feel drawn to visiting “old” things here!

Smile!

Smile!

On Mamma’s last day we went to Parliament so she could take a photo and she ended up meeting the Right Honourable John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand…, as you do!  He was very friendly and approachable, running up the steps to a bunch of kids that were posing for a photo on the steps and chatted away to them about their plans for the day, saying he was about to go in to give a speech… Mum said hello and said she was visiting from Scotland so he, hands in pockets and very relaxed, asked how long she was here for, how her trip was and wished her a safe journey – awww, what a nice man!  Only in New Zealand could you do that, surely! (Have you seen the concrete barriers outside Westminster in London??!)

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