Well the dolphin encounter didn't quite end up as planned. We set our alarm clock for 4.50am and I didn't even mind getting up then because I was so excited. We had a cup of tea and then left for the centre again (in the pitch black this time). We are checked in straight away [...]
Up at 6.30am ready for our trip! The skies are clear and the sun is coming out as we walk down to the Dolphin Encounter centre. Have breakfast and wait to go out on our trip. Disaster strikes. The Dolphin Encounter rep tells us that the sea conditions are very bad. The rain yesterday has [...]
Wake to heavy rain. Lynley had warned us last night that the weather forecast was bad and if the floatplane couldn’t fly we’d need to get the water taxi. As the visibility is terrible it’s pretty obvious this is what we’ll need to do. What a shame! I was really looking forward to another journey [...]
Woke to an overcast day – it’s disappointing but at least it’s not raining. Decide to go for a walk around the Sound. There’s a one and a half hour trail to follow but it takes us just under an hour. It’s a beautiful route through dense vegetation with the water below us and the [...]
Slept for nearly 12 hours! Had breakfast and then set off kayaking. I’ve never kayaked before: it’s not difficult but it makes your arms ache like hell when you’re not used to it. We kayaked across the bay to the cafe opposite – it’s supposed to be 45 minutes away but took me about double [...]
What a day! I think we’ve landed in paradise. Anyway, to retract a little, it was sunny in Wellington this morning and after breakfast we took a taxi to the train station (by the parliament buildings on the curiously named Bunny Street) and then a train to Porirua and then a taxi to the floatplane. [...]
It’s grey and drizzly today. Have a few errands to do in town so stroll around and then visit the Museum of City and Sea – which is quite interesting, and then return to Te Papa. Later we go to dinner at Strawberry Fayre down the road from us. This appears to be two shops [...]
Ursula, Peter & Gill are late meeting us (they're staying at a different hotel) - so step into the cafe next door to our hotel for breakfast - which is delicious. Once they arrive we take taxis over to the Weta Cave at Miramar near to the airport. Weta created the special effects for the [...]
Up early because we're meeting the others in Wellington today. Short, but hair-raising drive along the corkscrew bends to the city and arrive around 9.30am. Hand the car back to Apex and dump our stuff at the hotel. Discover that our budget hotel room has been upgraded to their nicest lodge room complete with spectacular [...]
Alas, awake to more rain. Have breakfast in the hotel brasserie and discuss plans. Decide to call a wine tour operator on the off chance and they have a tour leaving in half an hour! Decide this is a better bet than walking in the rain or driving around the vineyards (and not drinking). Quickly [...]