Tag Archives: Wellington

Part 11 – Last weekend in Welly

And with that, our time in Wellington was almost over. The first good-byes had to be said, though luckily just for now. Mat had to leave to the US for a work trip so we had a last brunch, all of us together.

In the afternoon, we rented kayaks from Ferg’s to explore Wellington harbour a bit. I first got to Wellington 19 years ago, I have lived here for three years later on and I have never been kayaking in the harbour before. It was about time. Plus, the kids are really keen on kayaking.

We had a blast, I got a blister, we got out of the kayaks quite happy. Some ice cream and a last visit to the kids’ favourite playground in Frank Kitts park later, we were back in Plimmerton for a last evening with Liz and Zeph. The evening saw lovely conversation, wine, chocolate and then a dog that needed to be rescued in a spectacular fashion through a lot of gorse.

After all the excitement of last night, we had a lazy Sunday morning. It was lunch time before we actually left Plimmerton. I was quite happy that we will return again for a couple of nights before leaving NZ as I will miss the very good company of Mat and Liz and the kids dearly when we live on the other side of the globe again.

Afterwards, we fullfilled on of the kids’ wishes: We went to Wellington zoo!

We decided to stay in town on Sunday night as the ferry to the South Island will leave on Monday morning at 8am and we have to check in way earlier than that. Instead of just parking at Te Papa, we’d stay overnight. Being right in the middle of town does have its advantages. We met up with Aaron for a stroll along Cuba Street festival which didn’t feel like it had really started. After a failed attempt for a coffee at Fidel’s (which was already closed), we had pizza and the signature hot chocolate at Scopa. The kids loved the hot chocolate and I managed to get this particular itch scratched. 🙂

Flo got the kids into bed, Aaron and I hung out at the waterfront and then we actually went out to the Library. It is one of Flo’s and my favourite places to go out to so we were very happy to be there. It’s a cozy little bar full of books and some live music. It serves great cocktails and also desserts so I had a lovely chocolate mousse while Flo sipped port. Aaron had the rocky road dessert which turned out to be a gigantic portion so he shared.

Bye Wellington, bye Aaron, bye Liz, bye Mat, bye former home!

is awesome. Also, the kids loved both of Mat’s and Liz’s “kids”
happy about her special drink
as you do as a kid
Flo’s favourite…a flat white
Brunch with the Plimmerton bunch
The statue is here since 2008
Many a young person jumping into the harbour
It has been in the same place since I’ve arrived 19 years ago
…sea shepard in the back
No shoes, a paddle and a life vest. It doesn’t need more
or floating
Lagoon paddling
The first time that we’re on the lagoon
What a day to be out on the water!
We love kayaking!
The monastery and Mt Vic as a backdrop
I am unsure which bird that is though
Much fun was had
This waka, also a favourite
very happy with the result
public “write what you want” stall
They’re such good cuddle buddies
is a lifelong friend. Flo and I saw it during the Hobbit artisan market being carved and then I have a photo of it with me on it from 10 years ago.
close-up
It didn’t want to stay inside the wooden cave
Red pandas are my favourite
looking after a playful young one
So far no eagle has been spotted
It was very insistened to try and rip the fence apart
This ostrich was picking at the fence
Even the kangaroo thought it was too hot to be hopping around
They are about to leave
Walking around in their enclosure
Self-driving Miss Daisy
the zoo had a lot of opportunities for play
he was looking at the chimpanzees
NZ sun is evil
A nap out of the sun
Even though they both wanted to be on the motorbike part of it
Very happy about the glass just about now
A tiger for a tiger!
The AoE loved to pose with all the statues around
I haven’t seen one this dishevelled before
Very common on the Cook Islands as well
hoping for some extra feed while the carer got the leaves out of the water
as a statue next to the playground at the zoo
next to Te Papa
through the streets of Wellington
Aaron found a book, the kids found many. We didn’t buy one on this occasion
There is someone dressed as a moa in the back
Kids-approved
for her hot chocolate
Waiting for the big one to tilt
with Aaron
as part of the Fringe festival, but I was just too tired for even more entertainment today

Part 10 – Double the Fun Week

Faced with the tough choice of another week of school vs. a week of daytrips with me, Number 3 chose the latter. Not for lack of fun at school, but more out of fear of missing out. Nina did go all out this week, working basically nine to five.

It was quite the spectacular week, all in all. We ended up with all sorts of activities. A best-of-the-past walking tour, including the cable car, botanical gardens and CBD. One and a half days of Te Papa, including stalking mum over her work-coffee. A chill day with movie and snuggles.

But probably the highlight was renting an e-bike and one kids’ bike for Number 3 (sadly, he was still too small for even the smallest of the kids’ e-bikes) and going on an epic 30km ride along the eastern shoreline and over Mount Vic.

For convenience and to have a place for me to get a nap in during the day, we ended up taking Timmy into town on most of those days. Parking at Te Papa was both central and very convenient, and we were more flexible on when to leave and head back.

Excitement all around
on his own bike
Wellington
Even the letters are blown away
Chocolste fish cafe at Shelly Bay
Around the bays
Proud and happy
Though the AoE rode on the seat in the back
Enjoying the bays
It’s hard
as a reward
On the way back to the railway station
Te Papa
what Nina is working on
while also keeping mama in view
on a lazy day at home
a rainbow
while looking at the train of the Kapiti line
On Cuba Street
Also iconic with the tuatara
Old Bank Arcade
Cable Car Station
Our old flat on the second floor of this house
in the Cable Car tunnel
going up to the botanic garden
Cable Car going back down, Wellington down there
while looking at Wellington
botanical garden walk
it was very a big hit with the kids, I hear
It’s much fun
in the Cable Car
Again with Wellington in the background
Always one upping each other
Number 3 over Wellington
same view, differnt Traveler
Same foto exist from 2006 and 2015
if you squint, you will find Timmy at Te Papa
Slowly getting down
Enjoying the hike
Halfway down
We devided to hike down
Made it to the bottom
Whee, wind is fun
Wellington from Oriental Parade
Cool mural on the way back to the car
Adventure can be found in the most mundane places
More German guests – stocking up for research
Clear favorite playground in Wellington
whee .. faaast
speed is fun
Looking back to the top
Panorama from the Top
Successful experimental vegan shashuka

Part 9 – Out and about

Our first weekend in Wellington already had a fixed activity…Saturday evening, Mat made it a date to have a port night. As Flo has to work every week night and thus misses most of the conversation amongst grown-ups, we also made it a date to go out on Sunday evening for dinner. Just the four “adults” Mat & Liz and Flo & me. To be able to do this has been a real treat as we managed to have their kids babysit our kids. Zeph especially was great as a babysitter but then they are a professional by now.

Weather was still nice so we needed some outdoor activity. After the much needed laundry, we headed out to Zealandia shortly before lunch time. Lunch was had along the way at a French cafe, then we reached Zealandia after a terrifying drive through Karori tunnel…we realized too late that Timmy is too tall for the tunnel and had to do the same thing buses do: Drive in the middle of the tunnel.

Zealandia is just a great place to be. Showing the kids native bush and birds, we even finished up with finding a weta. Just an overall great day.

In the evening, we got to hang out with lots of cool people that we haven’t seen in forever. We used to roleplay with almost all of them at some point while we were still living in Wellington. I had too much cheese and just about enough chocolate and enjoyed the whole thing.

On Sunday, we were just tired. Some plans were made and then dismissed. In the end, we stayed in until we went out to dinner in the Wellington CBD. Flo had an itch to eat in one of our favourite place from ages ago (that is still around) so we dined in Capital next to the Embassy theatre in the end. It was a lovely night even though we didn’t make it back to Plimmerton before the gorge was closed and Liz had to take a detour through the outskirts of Wellington instead of going on the motorway.

No. 3 going native…barefoot in pak’n’save
Someone’s happy
Mostly fries though
We only found the boat on the other side of the lake. XD
We thought it caught a fish when it dived but it was only a twig that was of interest to the parekareka
through the wetland
Almost posing
Little explorer on the ground
I heard it land which is how I spotted the kereru. Its wing are super noisy.
Some kind of fern
We actually saw many of them in this cluster of branches
Kaka close-up
I couldn’t find any name for this bird
It doesn’t wobble so it’s not too bad
and across the lake
Looking down the valley
…without the tuft. I guess that makes it a young one?
I do not like this…at all
He also snapped a lot of bird pictures this day
The kids’ backpacks make for such great pictures
Now, we only had a takahe and a piwakawaka left on the “what can I spot in Zealandia?” list
The literal fantail of a fantail. The bird was so fast that this is the best shot we got
Some of the older ones were marked with colourful beads
The tuatara liked the sunny spot
It’s a young one
also native
In a hidey hole
Our contributions
Good old Embassy. Why did they take Gollum down?
The Capitol was very accomodating for me as a vegetarian and Liz as a vegan guest
We do look happy about food
Looking up Courtnay place
Capitol

Part 8 – Work, Work, Work

Well, how the turntables. All of a sudden, the “holiday” vibe was gone, and it was almost a settled life for almost all of us. The general arrangement for this week was: Nina goes to town and does basically a full workday either at the National Libary of New Zealand (Turnbull Libary) or at Te Papa Tongarewa. Maybe a brief meetup for lunch, if I am in town, but that was it.

Number 3 got the chance to go to school. Which is mind-blowing to us, coming from Germany. He could not have hit it better, though. He got assigned to Mr. Cross` classroom of year 3 kids. First day kicked off with swim class. He was in love. Just the logistics were a bit of a challenge.

That left me and the Agent of Entropy, finding our ways. Most of the time, that meant going to Wellington as well, either to get stuff sorted (like, voting as #1 and #2 voter in NZ in that incredibly unneccessary snap election Germany had) or just to hang out.

Then, in the evening, with the kids in bed and the house settled in, I would go and get to work, usually 8pm to midnight. Sometimes, a bit longer. We knew, this whole trip could only work if we both put in serious time to work. But still, ouch. Those first few days hit me hard. Especially before I managed to make a mid-day nap a non-negociable. Working late is weird. Somehow, not helped by the 12 hour time difference, it feels like “the morning” in my mind.

Anyway – we got through this mostly alive – probably the hardest week of our entire trip in terms of work commitments. Time for some weekend fun …

The kids really warmed to Lupin and Loki, the two Golden Retrievers
Showing off the moves
Trying to lower the nervousness of going to school in a different country
She’s a cuddly monkey, isn’t she?
quite the hike down the hill
Joining in to our hosts tradition of “first day snapshots”
It’s a first but just being in the coolest little capital again made me happy
Wellington Railway Station
Out and about, she loved it
The sculpture caught her imagination
Plimmer Steps – walk down memory lane …
We managed to link up with Nina and her old friend Aaron. Shoutout! Great guy!
Even though Plimmerton is quite far out, the train connection makes up for it
no photos in the embassy, so lets take a selfy with the odd scuplture in the yard
No.3 warming up to the dogs
The benefit of having the last house before the sheep
e
we tried to just have a peak, could not pass the colering table
This time, it’s all about free tours and information. Last time (over a decade ago), it was all spears and barbs on the outside
From the best chippery in Plimmerton!
linking up with mama, waiting for friends
The AoE listening to an audio book
One of the drawers kept sliding open and then something broke. It was quite rusty so we got a replacement for Timmy.
custom toping, gentle touch
and done

Making a difference – UNICEF NZ

In the tradition of other great, long distance motorcycle travellers, we decided to add a cause to our journey. So in addition to experiencing a new country, a new culture, meeting people and seeing places, we want to be able to give something back. For this reason, we will try to raise money and have a fundraiser going for each country that we will travel through. This is our contribution to the decrease of world suck. 🙂 DFTBA!

Nina visiting UNICEF NZ

Visiting UNICEF NZ

We will break it up into parts for each country or section to be able to help diverse charities, make it interesting for you, the lovely people who donate, and to keep having a fundraising goal within a month or two rather than half a year away. The money will go to big, established charities rather than to small local ones; as much as we want to support small ones, it seems unrealistic to believe we can discover a small charity for every country, that is also legit and vouchered for, without constant access to the internet or putting hours of work into it.

Givealittle campaign image

Givealittle campaign image

For the start of our journey, we will explore more of New Zealand. We haven’t been to the East coast or Northland yet! Thus, we will also fundraise for a New Zealand charity. We have decided that the money of our first fundraiser will go to UNICEF New Zealand. To get a better feel for and connection to UNICEF, I met up with the lovely staff of the Wellington Office today. To be honest, I was quite overwhelmed that three people took the time to see me and were interested in what Flo and I are trying to do.

UNICEF New Zealand is helping many Pacific islands that we will not come through on this journey. However, they also have projects in Nepal and Laos, two countries that we WILL come through. Giving money to UNICEF NZ allows them to allocate it to where it is most urgently needed.

Both projects, in Nepal and Laos, aim to better the educational situation for children. To be able to go to a school has a lot of prerequisites that need to be fulfilled first. Access to clean water, medical treatment and general hygiene are a priority. As is getting children who work full-time into a better position.

Nepal, which was hit so hard by the earthquake, now faces a different problem: Child trafficking. Exploiting the poverty after the disaster, children are bought from their families with the promise of sending them to school and then sold into slavery of one form or another.

If you are interested in specific regions or projects, please read up on it on www.unicef.co.nz

So to help children in these countries and around the world: Please consider donating for our fundraiser. We added an extra page labeled ‘Making a difference’ for all our current and future efforts.