March 3-4 2016 Vancouver to Wellington

The Air New Zealand old bird turned out to be a very nice new 777 plane.  Agnes was able to trade our two separate seats for two side by side seats.  After a very nice supper and a beer the lights are turned off for the flights.  We watched the new Star War movie.  There was some old goof who wouldn’t shut up and I had to go talk to the stewardess. After the third talking to by the stewardess he finally shut up and we got some sleep.  A nice breakfast,  the new James Bond movie and+ we were in Auckland. 

The plane was a few minutes late and our suitcases were the last off the plane so it was a mad rush over to the domestic terminal but we made it.  Who is sitting there but Tom and Amy whom we are traveling with.   The short hop to Wellington and we are there.  As we are walking hall to luggage pick up there is Jos.  He has made the trip out to the airport to pick us up.  Once out in the parking lot I made the first wrong side move and walked up to the driver’s side.   This is going to take some getting used to.

Jos drove us around the town on the way to his place and up to Mount Victoria view point to get us oriented.  Talk about mess up the sun is in the north.   Jos says that it still rises in the east and sets in the west.  It was absolutely beautiful.  From this view point you could see the entire city.   We then went back to Jos’ for a quick clean up.  He lives just outside of down town in a really interesting neighborhood.   Not to judge but this side of the globe is kind of upside down even the clothes dryers are upside down.

We walked down a pathway from Jos’ through a bird sanctuary and had a great lunch in a begonia conservatory. From there we wandered downtown and along the quay.  Wellington is a really beautiful natural harbor.  It was perfect day for strolling.  We wandered into the national museum which has a special showing of New Zealand’s participation in the Gallipoli fiasco.  From there we took the cable car back up the hill to Jos’ place.  This cable car was built in the early 1880’s.  It has been updated but is still a famous land mark.  The cable car is the most photo’d thing in Wellington. 

A long day but great to be here.

Terry