52 Entries found for the date period of: 01 November 2007 to 01 December 2007
David Beckham arrives as we leave
Well we were off back to Auckland - sad to leave Wellington. Not that Auckland isn't great, just that a piece of our hearts will remain in Wellington until we return.
We arrive at the airport to be met by a small group of people waiting for David Beckham to come out of the departure lounge. LA Galaxy are playing Wellington Pheonix this coming weekend. We managed to catch a glimpse but our minds were otherwise occupied with thoughts on our time in Wellington and our trip coming rapidly to a conclusion.
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Lady Norwood Rose Garden, Wellington
Lady Norwood Rose Garden
Well it was our lucky weekend on our last visit to Wellington, as it coincided with the seasonal opening of the rose garden in the Botanical Gardens. As we approached the gardens from up on the hill the scent of the roses just wafted up around us and the sight of the circular formal rose garden was just beautiful to look at.
Relaxing amongst the flowers
Once up close the number of varieties and colours and scents just had us doing multiple revolutions of this horticultural joy. As I am really into gardens and looking at all things that make me go aahhh, we had a great time. Myles was running from rose bush to rose bush sniffing each one in turn.
Myles sampling the blooms
We had a spot of lunch at the cafe here sat amongst the roses. Afterwards we started taking a stroll back up the hill (and I mean a hill!) heading back towards the cable car, when we came upon the large grassy area behind the gardens with was currently playing host to a petting zoo and a bouncy castle set up just for the fun of the kids - big and small.
Petting time
Much to our delight we got to meet a bunch of cute and cuddly animals including spotty pygmy pig, a bossy alpaca, a number of kids of the goat variety and then some fluffy guinea pigs and rabbits all of whom Myles wanted to cuddle! Well after a spot of bouncing on the castle it was time to wander on back out of the park - the weather by the way just topped off the whole day by being a perfect warm and still day and saw everyone just relaxing on this a perfect family day out!
Location on Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/?q=-41.280548,%20174.769392
Photos: Click photos to view the slide show.
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Nike Jesus
Urban art in Wellington
There has been a complete void of graffiti throughout our travels - apart from some parts of Auckland. Here in Wellington we haven't noticed any either - apart from this one - Nike Jesus - very good...
Also there is an area just near the Te Papa where kids - and people who still think they are, hang out in a specially build skate park with walls erected to accommodate budding graffiti artists. Wellington is a great centre of art and culture and I like 'good' graffiti. Not the crappie tags that little the urban landscape back in the UK but the good, imaginative and challenging type. Top marks must go to Wellington council in providing facilities for urban culture.
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Common Sense Organics - Organic Shop - Wellington
Common Sense Organics
This shop was a breath of fresh air to us as at home we are so used to the main stores doing their own organic ranges, but as yet NZ stores are a little further behind when it comes to offering the consumer this choice.
So the store is handy in central Wellington and stocked a fair range of produce and food items including eco laundry and cleaning products and a small selection of organic clothing. It's a cool and laid back place to shop - you can even drop off your toddler into the play pen on the way in - You can image that in Sainsburys can't you!
Common Sense Organics
We felt that we would use the store again although would do our main shopping for produce at the farmer's market and buy other specialist items here. Even so we are glad that we have this choice on our doorstep and will visit when we return.
You can find them at 260 Wakefield St, Wellington , 6001 Telephone: +64 (0)4 384 3314
http://www.commonsenseorganics.co.nz/
Location on Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/?q=260%20Wakefield%20St,%20Wellington,New%20Zealand
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Kirkcaldie & Stains at Christmas
Kirkcaldie & Stains at Christmas
Well it all seems very strange - walking around bathed in the sun with smiles on our faces and passing the shop windows full of Christmas displays and offers. We timed it well today as Welington's main department store Kirkcaldie & Stains had a Christmas fair running to launch the unveiling of their Christmas window displays.
Free train tours for the little ones
There was a marquee erected down the side street with live music and refreshments, a train outside the entrance was giving rides to all the children - and much older ones too - around the city and waterfront. Everyone was having a blast. We've been in hot countries before at Christmas time but not westernised ones, so this was all a little strange feeling.. You could get used to it through!
Christmas trimmings
I suppose the best way to describe Kirkcaldie & Stains is by comparing it to a cross between any House of Fraser store, John Lewis and a touch of Harrods. No visit to Wellington is complete without popping in. The toy department was great and we picked up a couple of bargains for Myles before taking lunch at the near by Astoria cafe - Another Wellington landmark - but more about that some other time.
Kirkcaldie & Stains Website:
http://www.kirkcaldies.co.nz/index.html
Location on Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/?q=Kirkcaldie%20and%20Stains%20Wellington
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Deluxe Cafe / Deli / Expresso Bar- Wellington
This cafe on Kent Terrace has to be one of the best we've been to, that's because it reminds us so much of deli cafe's in New York that are 'one offs'. We just loved everything in here from the decor to the notice board and the photography on the walls that was for sale, and of course the food and drinks were great too.
10 Kent Terrace - The Deluxe
We hooked up with Rob, Jenny and Holly for a spot of lunch - We all had berry smoothies and either curried chick pea cakes or layered vegetable tart - As we sat we realised just how popular this place was - a steady stream of people came and kept on coming until there was nothing left to buy.
Lunch with Rob, Jenny and Holly
We love the Mount Victoria area of the city and if we decide to live there then this would be our local cafe! - After speaking to some Wellingtonians and telling them of our find and our love of the area they said that 'you've only been in Wellington 5 minutes and already you've found the best area to live and the best cafe in the city'! I guess that's what you get from walking and walking and walking to get a feel for a city and it's different areas.
Funky interior
The Deluxe has such a cool vibe and being on Kent Terrace a busy main through road in Wellington you never feel far away from the buzz of the city. Deluxe you are just that and we loved you!
Location on Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/?q=10%20kent%20terrace%20wellington,%20new%20zealand
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Wellington Farmers Market
Wellington Farmers Market
This weekend fruit and veg market on the corner of Vivian and Willis is a sight for the eyes and the senses, it's a vibrant place to come and shop for all your fresh fruit,veg and herbs etc... It runs from 4am (!) to 2.30pm on Sunday.
Wellington Farmers Market
We loved just milling around and comparing the produce which we thought looked amazing. Alot of the growers are of Asian origin and therefore you can get a whole variety of produce, some of which we weren't sure what they were but were wide eyed all the same. It seems weird to go all ga ga! over fruit and veg but just to see a market like this in the middle of Wellington CBD really lifts your spirits against the major corporate world of consumerism and veg wrapped in plastic and cartons!
Wellington Farmers Market
We got there around 12pm and it was packed. We've been to loads of farmers markets from New York to Barcelona but never one with produce that looked as fresh and varied and remarkably cheap! If we end up living in Mount Vic then this place is a definite weekly must to to keep us in fresh juice and veg for the week. I think a breakfast at the Deluxe on Kent Terrace followed by a stroll up to the market would be a perfect way to start a Sunday - probably finishing up with an afternoon in the botanical gardens or the beach... All within walking distance... Did I mention how great Wellington was?
Location on Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/?q=-41.293884,%20174.772073
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Auckland to Wellington Flight
Virgin Pacific Blue
Well we needed to go back down to Wellington for a few days and through we'd take an internal flight. It's a full days drive from Auckland to Wellington - Some people with an air of bravado will tell you that they can drive it in a few hours (!) but the days when we used to 'enjoy' that type of breakneck non stop journey are long gone - and we want to make the most of our precious remaining days in New Zealand.
We used Virgin Blue when we were in Australia and we have a great flight from Sydney to Perth, at a great price. So we decided to book online with it's sister - Pacific Blue. The booking is easy - costs were very reasonable. There's a number of other companies we could of chose - including Air New Zealand, who we flew with from London Heathrow to Hong Kong and then Auckland.
Sitting the domestic departure lounge at Auckland airport really brings home how many people use internal flights in New Zealand - Some even commuting to work on a daily basis. There's very few main towns you can't fly in and out of. Apart from your potential carbon footprint - It all seems really easy and convenient...... apart from this time there was an hour or so delay because a light aircraft had overturned at Wellington airport, which was forced to close for a while. As we were sitting waiting to check in a local TV news crew came looking for frustrated passengers to interview - every body wasn't really bothered. They came over to us - I guess to amount of luggage and a child in tow made us prime candidates to vent some frustration but Myles was very happy running around the lounge and so we offered to pretend to be frustrated on camera for them - didn't like to see them go empty handed! - but their journalistic integrity 'kicked' in and they went off all deflated.
The flight was only around an hour, compared to the 8 hours plus of solid driving as an alternative. But as we approached Wellington we could see and feel why the airport had been closed earlier and the light aircraft come a cropper - I don't think we've ever had such a nerve wracking landing - and we've had a few. Windy Welly 1 - Light Aircraft 0!
Pacific Blue Flights:
http://www.flypacificblue.co.nz/
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Auckland BBQ - Blockhouse Bay
Pete and Sara have been fantastic hosts on friends during this trip. We headed back down from our group trip to the Northland to stay with them for a couple of nights before we take an internal flight down to Wellington for a few days to sort out some visa and work bits and pieces.
Happy Days
The weather was perfect - and what better way to celebrate the glorious start to the New Zealand summer than to have a Kiwi BBQ. Pete fires up the gas beauty and Sara prepares a fantastic spread. Myles and Anna jump on the trampoline in the vast garden and Rob sips a cool beer - what a great afternoon combination.
Myles and Anna got ready for bed and Myles found his favourite pushchair- Pink of course - to play with before we took him to bed.
We're really going to miss Pete, Sara and Anna until we return to New Zealand in 2008.
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Whangarei Falls
No visit to Whangarei is complete without a stop off at the famous Whangarei Falls. Only a few kilometres outside of Whangarei, the falls has a great campsite and motor park, lots of picnic benches and places to sit and watch the world go by, listening to the water gushing into the river and the birds singing.
Viewpoint at the top of the falls
The access is really easy, which was great for Rob, with the car park literaly a few meters from the view points at the top of the falls. We only stayed for 30mins or so as we were heading back to Auckland and wanted to miss the heavy traffic on the harbour bridge. But we had long enough to take in the sights and sounds.
Picnic area at the foot of the falls
Whangarei was a town that didn't really grab us at first - but the amount of fantastic places we've seen since we've been staying here has made our hearts grow fonder as the days have passed by. There's a definite 'pace', or lack of, to the Northland and it's a wonderful antidote to the comparative hustle of Auckland. We can't wait to come back and submerge ourselves again!
Location on Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/?q=-35.683500,%20174.335220
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