I decided to give myself an extra day here. I still have plenty of time to see the South Island, and I needed some extra time after all the hassle with the credit card. Yesterday I invested in a day pass (only $9.50 and no plastic card required! Go Wellington!) and went up on Mount Victoria for spectacular views of the city and harbour. I then caught another bus to Eastbourne, which is on the coast across the bay from Wellington. I was pleasantly surprised to reach the end of the bus route to find the bus garage right on the beach, with picnic tables set out for me to bask in the glorious sunshine! I don't think I've ever enjoyed waiting for a bus so much. In fact, I let several of them go without me...
I also took a tour of the Parliament buildings yesterday. Mostly because it was free. Tours depart every hour on the hour weekdays 10 am to 4 pm, but apparently the 11 am which I went on is the last to enter the debating chamber.
On my extra day, I felt compelled to visit the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. I say "compelled" because I don't like museums as a rule, I prefer being outside and drinking in the atmosphere. But the museum is always given high praise and admission is free, so I decided I had to check it out. I went in, had a look around, and left. I'm sure it's very interesting if you're a Kiwi and don't know much about your country and its history. I must be brutally honest and say I'm not that interested in NZ's history, I'm here for the nature and scenery. But if you're in Wellington and have some spare time on your hands, this could be a way to while away a few hours. Especially if it's raining.
After Te Papa I walked on to the small city beach at Oriental Bay and enjoyed some more wonderful sunshine. I have been incredibly lucky with the weather on this entire trip! I can't remember when I last saw rain. Now that I head further south that may change.
I did the cable car, botanic gardens, and the zoo during my first visit here nearly six years ago, so no need to repeat that. Wandering around Courteney Place, I instantly recognized a building from last time and even remembered the name of the restaurant: Molly Malone. Funny how random things stick in your memory...
Wellington, despite its much smaller population, does feel like more of a big city than Auckland did. The very busy downtown streets are packed with people, and even the shops seem bigger. I seem to be giving Auckland a hard time here. I'm sure it's perfectly nice as well, I'm just sharing my impressions and I'm sure others will have different views.
I must share my very positive impression of my hostel, Hotel Waterloo and Backpackers. It's right across the road from the railway station, the Parliament, and the Bluebridge ferry to Picton, which I'm taking tomorrow morning. The railway station is also the hub for both local and long-distance buses, so very easy to get everywhere. The staff are friendly and helpful, and especially Manuel is very knowledgeable about travel and helped me book my Intercity bus pass. Despite there being a pub on the first floor, and my room facing a busy road, I've had no problems with noise and have been able to sleep without problems. So well worth checking out if you're in Wellington!
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