Wellington, New Zealand


From Napier, we wisely skipped the Intercity bus and flew to Wellington, primarily because we could not have got there in time if we took the bus.  However, given our hairy trip from Rotorua to Napier, this was a good option, regardless.

When I went to Wellington by myself 10 years before, I had an amazing time, as I did a city tour, visited two fancy restaurants (Martin Bosley's Yacht Club Restaurant, now closed and The French Cafe, still open), checked out Cuba Street, shopped in the famous but now closed Kircaldie and Stains department store, visited the Maori museum, Te Papa, and went to a Split Enz concert. 

Fast forward to the trip with my family, well - they were not very adventurous and we hardly went past the doors of our downtown hotel.  I did get them to take the Wellington Cable Car to the Wellington Botanic Gardens:


Wellington, as well as being windy, is quite hilly, so you get magnificent views of the city from the botanic gardens:


The botanic gardens has a small cable car museum, which is one for the kids mainly:



There is also a Victorian era-inspired perfumery in the grounds of the gardens called Fragrifert Parfumeur:





It is quite fascinating to look at the various displays on perfume making, and you can do courses on perfume making as well as buying perfume there.

My family was utterly bored by all of this and didn't fancy a stroll through the gardens, so we left on the next cable car going back to town.  

Here are a few snapshots of things I found interesting in and around our hotel in Wellington:





One day I might get around to uploading my photos from my first visit to Wellington so that you can see a little more of what the capital of New Zealand has to offer.  However, this is all I have to show you from this trip.  

I love New Zealand as a travel destination, and would definitely go back again when I can.   In the meantime, I leave you with the message on this gorgeous greeting card featuring a fantail that I found in a gift shop in Wellington:



Wellington Cable Car
280 Lambton Quay
Wellington New Zealand
Ph: +64 4 472 2199

Fragifert Parfumeur
1 Upland Road Kelburn
Wellington New Zealand
Ph: +64 27 607 1852

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