Wed 3 Feb - Return to the North Island

After a fitful sleep – broken regularly by the noise of passing HGVs on their way into the dockyard – we got up to check-in for the ferry at 5.30 am. The ferry crossing, which started in the dark, was smooth but with overcast skies until we entered Wellington harbour when the sun came out to welcome us. We really are impressed with Wellington! We had decided on a day of sightseeing in, so after sorting a hotel headed for the Te Papa museum which is housed in a fantastic modern building on the waterfront next to trendy new restaurants and bars in converted warehouses. A couple of hours was spent absorbing Maori culture, the history of New Zealand and its peoples and the mechanics of earthquakes and volcanoes. Much more time was needed to do it full justice but eventually we got to the stage of being ‘museumed out’ so went back outside into the sunshine. Now to complete Lou’s second recommendation - to ascend the hill behind the city in the cable car. This we dutifully did and were rewarded with stunning views. The walk back down through the botanical gardens was equally inspiring to the one who likes this sort of thing whilst a nod of appreciation at the appropriate time from the other seemed to work well.
Before our evening meal we drove out for a tour around the lakeshore that had been visible from the Interislander ferry and found some picturesque bays, then drove up to the lookout at Mount Victoria for another view of the city. Finally the (very long) day was rounded off with a curry in a downtown restaurant serenaded by a band of South American buskers in the street outside. Needless to say, Christine had to go and thank them individually.