160 Entries found for the date period of: Monday, September 01, 2008 to Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Wairarapa Wine Tasting
Waiararapa Wine Tasting
So we head off on our Wairarapa wine tasting afternoon!
After heading over the huge hill from the Hutt Valley you descend into vineyard laden fields as far as the eye can see - Which was a few hundred metres at the moment!
Wine'ese
Wine is an important part of life for Rach & I - We don't drink much but like a couple of bottles of nice wine each week. Usually red - Now I know some people are passionate about wine - You've only got to listen to a wine programme on TV or read some of the flavoursome descriptions to realise that some people have lost the plot a little really. And then there's all that 'what should you drink with which meal etc...' - As far as I'm concerned as long as you drink it with friends, all wine is good and a good time is had by all!
"For when the wine is in, the wit is out. "
Thomas Becon (1512-1567)
The vineyards are a mix of friendly and passionate to high-fluting with a 'posh' shop assistant - usually with too much makeup! We find some great ones though - especially the one with the wood burner. Most of the places here will charge say $5 for a tasting session of a few wines, or a $1 a 'sniff & shot' - Not a bad deal for trying out a large variety in one afternoon.
Not quite converted to Pin Noir
The only challenge I have is that NZ is too cold to grow decent reds (Wine death squads after me as I speak!) - and I only really like a white very chilled - at which point a nearly crap one can taste fine! - So that leaves... Pin Noir - and to be honest I don't really like that grape - but I have to say I tasted - and purchased! - a couple that were fantastic.... I won't tell you which ones because that would ruin the fun of the chase!
Bethany resorted to ice cream tasting
Well what can you say - We went from vineyard to vineyard having a right royal time. We stopped off to grab a quick bite to eat before heading back to Michael & Marrisa's. What a wonderful day - with great friends. Michael was designated driver whilst Marrisa & I did all the hard work....
I had a great time with Michael, Marrisa & Bethany - You can see their much more interesting blog of the day out at:
http://www.dawes.co.nz/2008/04/wonderfully-wet-wairarapa.html. Can't wait for all off us to get together soon!
Photos: Click photos to view the slide show.
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Hailstones & Swing-bridges:
Kaitoke National Park
After a long sleep from the wine blurred events from the previous evening, I awoke with some Wii strain in my right arm - or I slept on it funny - though I'll go with the Wii strain!
At least Bethany was well prepared
The sun was shining - but not for long! - As we had breakfast you could see the clouds descending into the valley and the air turning chilly. But hey ho - this is New Zealand and as we head into the autumn the weather can change quickly.
We all pile into the trusty Subaru and head a few miles north to Kaitoke National Park - of Rivendell Lord of The Rings fame. I was here with Rach and Myles, Neil, Jen,Neil's mom, Rob and Holly and Jessica back in Oct 2007 -
http://www.onewaynewzealand.com/blogentry.asp?id=57. It wasn't as warm this time around - though it was still a great hoot.
One thing we didn't do last time was to walk over the rope swing-bridge. I like a good treacherous bridge - so the pounding hailstones and wet to the skin feeling didn't really dampen the spirits! What a fantastic bridge - a must do if you pass up that way.
Kaitoke National Park is a wonderful place full of trails through the native bush, rivers with pebble lined shorelines and grassy areas to pitch up - start up a BBQ and throw a Frisbee around and generally have a jolly old time. It's only around 40 minuets drive from the centre of Wellington.
Emergency car condensation measures
Well we all strolled - in a running type "quick we're soaked" fashion - back to the car and assessed what we could do with our clothing to minimise the amount of steam in the car for the next leg of our journey! Bethany came off best with a quick change of clothes in the makeshift dressing room in the back of the car. After several stops and adjustments of the air-conditioning and vents so we could see where we were going - we finally left the Hutt Valley and headed over towards the Wiararpa.
Photos: Click photos to view the slide show.
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Wellington Railway Station
As railway stations go, Wellington Train Station is a very pleasant experience.
Leaving Wellington for a couple of days
Well I'm off to the Upper Hutt to spend the weekend with Michael, Marrisa and Bethany with a short trip over to the Wairarpa for some wine tasting too!
After work I take a walk down to the train station - I don't know what I was expecting but this is a wonderful piece of architecture. Completed in 1937 it falls right at the end of the art deco period - and it shows. In the failing evening light you could almost be on the stage of a spy movie.
Wonderful interior of the station
The trains aren't from 1937 - though I suspect not long after! A friend later told me that he thought the rolling stock came over from some eastern European county.. The colour scheme certainly backed this theory up - It reminded me of the trains in Poland. After all the visual splendour the train left on time, it was comfortable, warm and cheap! - a 45 min journey for around NZ $6 - about £2.50. You wouldn't get that on Virgin Trains.
Sunglasses time
There was one slight problem with the journey - the station names. The lights were on in the train, but the stations were really badly lit - so much so that you could not see a station name at most! - I resorted to counting the stops which worked out just fine...
Michael & Bethany were waiting to pick me up for the short journey up to theirs. What a great family. We've become close from a distance and it was great to finally spend some 'quality' time with them all. Marrisa cooked a mean Mexican and Michael took me for a quick drink down his local before we headed back for an evening of drink induced Wii Sports. Not being an experience 'Wii'er' - though I should be after the amount I had to drink! - Michael and Marrisa wiped the floor with me - no mercy wasted on guests!
Well we finally hit the sack late - Bethany had made sure I had lots of cuddly toys on my bed to keep me company so I slept well amongst friends. Yet another great day, with great people in this magical country of theirs.
Photos: Click photos to view the slide show.
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The Gentle Practitioner and the Matterhorn
Universal Constant
It just struck me - that's a great title for a book!
Rach made virtual friends with Sarah and Dan Lee (
http://www.chezlee.co.nz/) and I arranged to meet up with Dan after work and head over to his for the evening. Dan runs an IT company in Wellington -
http://www.youdo.co.nz/
Dan, being the gentleman he is, decided to go to the bus stop via the Gentle Practitioner on Willis Street for a couple of refreshments! - It's a beautiful building - I think it used to be a doctors surgery - hence the name. Making the most of a warm evening we then head over to Cuba street and the Matterhorn Bar - Really funky! (
http://www.worldsbestbars.com/city/wellington/). We'll after a couple of cold ciders, beers and a glass or two of red we final get the munchies and decide to pick up a Chinese takeaway and get a cab back to his place in Houghton Bay - Isn't that always what you do...?
I must apologise for the lack of photos on this entry - I was too occupied having a good time!
Once back at Dan & Sarah's we spend a wonderful evening chatting about everything and putting the world right! - What a perfect end to a great evening. Really looking forward to spending more time with these guys - Dan reminds me of myself in so many ways - Scary!
After a restful nights sleep Dan and I head off to the bus stop overlooking the bays and take our 15min journey into work. Happy days.
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Hataitai
Hataitai Streets
It's quite easy to miss Hataitai on a whistle stop tour of Wellington - Not to say that you should miss it - just that you may!
Hataitai is over the other side of Mount Victoria from the city - You can get to it from either mountaineering from the city with ropes and high energy drinks or you can drive all the way around the road passing through Oriental Bay or up to the Basin Reserve (Cricket ground) and head through the Mount Vic tunnel. After the tunnel - sharp left!
It's a nice neighbourhood - Good school - nice shops - nice houses - quiet streets - good views in places - and..... sort of south facing (not a good thing in Wellington in general!) I'm trying to be enthusiastic about it - and I'm being picky here.
Ingenious sun lounges
I head down to the waterfront at Hataitai - with it's boat sheds and amazingly designed sun loungers. The 'beach' here isn't too great but the waterfront is pleasant anyhow. And you can watch the planes come in also!
It is a great place to live if you can find a house with a decent amount of sunshine throughout the day. It's certainly on our list of possible places to hitch up for a while. It's not Mount Vic, or Kelburn, or Island bay for that matter - It's sort of a safe mix. Whilst I was at Scorching Bay last - I met a lovely couple who were cycling the coastal road who lived there for many years and glowed about it. Go and have a look yourself...
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Clyde Quay School
Clyde Quay School
I had to include these photos of the wall painting at Clyde Quay School on Elizabeth Street in Mount Victoria, Wellington. They're wonderful! I must of spent at least half an hour or so looking at them on my way down to the deluxe cafe.
Clyde Quay School
I'm not sure what school Myles will be going to at this stage - but if life inside this school is as vibrant and full of energy as the walls outside, he's going to have a ball!
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Freyberg Swimming Pool - No Aquatic Bingo here!
Freyberg Swimming Pool
www.wellington.govt.nz/services/swimpools/details/freyberg.html
A short way around Oriental Bay there's a fantastic public swimming pool (with a great juice bar where I always gab a carrot, orange and lime juice from - yum!). It's a 'proper' pool - not a splash around play time job. Rach has got her eyes on it for her daily lengths when we get to Wellington. There's also a great gym overlooking the swimming lanes.
I'm not big on swimming pools - Rach swims like a fish! - I prefer a good splash about & body board in the ocean - jumping over waves with my athletic (!**!) body strapped into a wet suit!
Freyberg Swimming Pool
I do try swimming at our local pool in the mornings sometimes but there is a high quota of blue rinses swimming 6-a-breast talk about varicose veins - all whilst doing 1mph trailing a mist of Lilly of the Valley and Harmony hair spray - Not really my bag to be honest - Rach is far more skilled at obstacle avoidance than me. The Freyberg Pool does not seem to suffer the same aquatic bingo so I might give it a go!
Photos: Click photos to view the slide show.
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Have Camera...
Neil, Jenny, Holly and Jessica
Neil and Jen have been fantastic hosts whilst I've been in Wellington - Staying with them and their daughters Holly and Jessica for the majority of the time.
Jessica and Holly
They have some big white walls they want some photos on - so the least I could do was to take a few pics for them - Thought you'd like to meet them too!
Photos: Click photos to view the slide show.
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Meet Mike, Marrisa, Bethany & Denver the dog
Me with Bethany, Mike, Marrisa and Denver
A perfect way to end a perfect day in Wellington.
Rach first made contact with Marrisa through their great blog -
http://www.dawes.co.nz/ - back in January after we returned from out last trip to New Zealand. We all became good 'virtual' friends. When I found out that I was returning to Wellington we all made plans to meet up this Sunday for some fish and chips on Oriental Parade at the Fisherman's Table.
What a great family - Marrisa is a star, a great mum and fab photographer - Mike works in IT in Wellington but his real job is causing as much bodily injury as possible mountain biking whilst sampling pies and beer - see
http://www.f3nz.com/ - Bethany is just an amazing character and their new addition, Denver has only been with them a couple of days but is firmly part of the family!
They have been so inspirational to us - full of advice and wisdom - So much so that they have set up a company helping people in all kinds of ways to settle in New Zealand from overseas - Dawes Migration Services
http://migrate.dawes.co.nz/.
We can't wait to spend more time with them all!
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Wellington Waterfront & Oriental Bay - Still Wonderful as ever!
Wellington waterfront drenched in sunshine again
I don't think you can every tire of Wellington waterfront on a sunny day - I speak with people who have lived here for years and they agree. There's something magical about the size and geography of the city which makes it feel much more like a town. It's not unusual to see the same people floating around the place.
On a weekend the place comes alive. Wellington seems to have a really high density of young families - who all flock to the waterfront with their roller-blades, cycles and skateboards. The place is buzzing today. Busier than I have seen it before. This adds an extra 'magic' to the air. Combined with the wonderful morning I had in the Botanic Gardens - I have a smile on my face today!
After leaving the cable car and heading down through Queens Wharf, stopping to take in the Rainbow Warrior and the rock climbing wall - I head south along the waterfront past the people canoeing in the bay, the people in cafes, the children in playgrounds, the skaters in the skate park and people on the beach - I find it a really intoxicating mixture - and one of the main reasons Rach and I love this city.
I soon arrive in Oriental Bay and take a stroll along the beach before meeting up with Mike, Marrisa and Bethany for a bit to eat...
Photos: Click photos to view the slide show.
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