Wellington

The Blonde Woman surveys Wellington from atop Cable Car hill

 Wellington straddles the fault lines at the southern tip of the northern island and maintains legal and legislative control over New Zealand.  Wellington also represented an area not yet evaluated in the first four months of the saga.  In preparation for another road trip details were digested, plans promoted, tires retreaded, costumes chronicled, and roads reconnoitered.  Everyone satisfied.  The door shut in Thames and off again.
     The first night found the blonde woman and her Valentine in a youth hippie hostel in Turangi.  By noon on Day 2 the couple strutted into Wellington as if someone cared about their arrival.  The "Home Grown" rock music summer festival drew tens of thousands of young adults and not-yet adults to the Harbor area, streets, and accommodations.  Fortune allowed one more youth hostel room availability for the near over-60 duo.  The two could not consume enough alcohol to be allowed entry into the concert, but found an Asian restaurant and settled into a youthful city for several days.

Weekend market along the Wellington Harbor

February brings many of the harvests.  Melons and pumpkins, melons and pumpkins, who does not have melons and pumpkins?  The market extended for a kilometer along the harbor area with huge assortments of foods, bands, fish, breads, coffees and people.










     South Dakotans pop up in the weirdest places.  Through mutual friends the doctor and his partner (NZ expression) were notified of a chap working in Wellington as a computer graphics artist for Weta Workshop, the special effects company supporting Peter Jackson's cinema efforts. Richard and his wife (partner), Michelle, spent an afternoon with the fellow South Dakotans.  As a result, another genre of human creativity opened up.  Richard handled the bombardment of queries from the duo without wincing.

Cheryl asked Tom if he wanted to turn to stone. He said "Yes"

At the Weta Workshops, Tom could dance all night and then simply switch feet at the end.  Except for the odor, the system worked well for the remainder of the trip.  The hairy feet helped with sleeping in the cool ocean breeze.

Soon to be Pinot Noir

Martinborough wine country beckoned.  No hesitation.  Situated within a relatively short driving distance from Wellington, the area has grown grapes and processed them into tall green bottles since the early 1980's.
 







Visited Murdoch James Vineyards and took a tour.  Following lunch, a visit to an olive orchard occurred.  A local grower answered his phone and the blonde woman persuaded him to also give a tour.  They grow lots of olives.  And press them.  And filter them.  And flavor them.  And sell them as oil.  To Cheryl.

Waiting to be fed

The sun shone brightly.  The car turned south from the wine country and olive orchards along a route to the farthest point south of the north island.  Along this coastline, the rocks met the impressive ocean.  More seals than people called it home.  Traveling to the end of the road, the lighthouse guarded the southern point, Cape Palliser.  Safety beams emit from the active lighthouse and have done so since 1897.












This guy held the perfect pose, then asked for $5 to take his picture.  The rocks swarmed with his brothers and sisters as well as parents.  Everyday is a day to sit in the sun.









After viewing the lighthouse at Cape Palliser, a return trip to Wellington successfully ended in a Turkish restaurant for dinner.  Eating internationally became a theme in Wellington.  Next day…Te Papa.  The National Museum located along the Harbor.  Extensive anthropologic, geologic, biologic, and ecologic displays captivated and stimulated the observers. Their brains enlarged too fast and required decompression at a French dining establishment where Cheryl made sure of proper shrinkage with dessert affogato.  The days in Wellington also witnessed an Italian and, coincidentally, a New Zealand restaurant.  The affogato was compared at each establishment.  Zealandia ecosystem and the Maritime museum were visited.

The Bee Hive

Finally, the Parliament and Executive building, known as the Bee Hive, stood before the visitors.  The doctor and blonde woman left this item for the final day in case something inappropriate may have occurred.  They left their opinions and did a little lobbying.  The message of "we just love New Zealand" hopefully got to the right people.