Wellington

As we arrived in Wellington for the night, we went to a lookout point to overlook the city.  Wellington lit up at night was incredible, but not too much lighting that viewing would not be a chore.  Also along the way up the mountain to this lookout point, there was a Lord of the Rings filming area.  In the Fellowship of the Ring, the four hobbits (Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin) escape Bag End and are being hunted by the Ringwraiths.  They hide in the base of a giant tree, and that is what we saw.

The city as a whole had plenty of nightlife.  This is not saying much, considering that the other places in New Zealand I went to was primarily countryside.  Bars were plentiful, along with clubs.  The group met at the bar for dinner and drinks, though I was just fine without alcohol.  The final night in Wellington before I left, the group bowled a couple of games.  For $25, it was two games with an alcoholic drink, multiple platters of appetizers, and heaps of fun. 

Wellington is New Zealand’s capital, so we saw the capital building known as the beehive.  This is where the executive portion of parliament was at.  Right next to it was the judicial courts.  A handful of the group went to take a cable car to the top of Wellington.  From there, we went through the botanical gardens.  Much of the city had ties to England in their structure and way of life, since New Zealand still highly regards the British monarch.

Te Papa was a free museum that talked all about New Zealand and their culture.  From earthquakes to colossal squid, and the Maori culture to New Zealand’s loyalty to the British government; this place was chock-full of information.  The bus driver, Craig, must have spent a significant amount of time here.  If one was to know every detail Craig knew about New Zealand, it would take weeks of going through this museum to obtain the knowledge that he shared with us.

Before my flight, I went to the WETA cave.  WETA cave does the special effects of many movies, including the Lord of The Rings series and James Cameron’s Avatar.  The weaponry and other props of the Lord of The Rings were displayed.  The craftsmanship and intricate designs made this place a must-see.  I came away very impressed and ready to fly to Melbourne.