[Lupin]

Had a belated birthday weekend in Wellington last weekend, sans children!

We went to Te Papa but decided that wasn't right without the kids, so only spent an hour or so there and then took the cable car up to the Botanical gardens and explored that for a couple of hours winding our way back through the Memorial Garden and back to our (very swanky!) hotel on Bolton Street. That evening we went out and enjoyed the NZ Symphony Orchestra play, which was wonderful, especially as it's been 10 months since we did anything at all similar ...

Wellington isn't for the sunny climate lover or the rural dweller but felt like a really friendly city with a thriving heart and a great lifestyle to offer. It didn't have the 'rush' of Auckland but had big city attractions, so I rated it quite highly. Amazingly bush-clad hills too! It was a typical Australasian city in that it was clean and laid back feeling.

Nothing like the M5 at Saturday lunch time ....

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2360/1865572421_ac5518aaa7.jpg

View from the Botanical Gardens

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2144/1865564931_1061f851c1.jpg

In the CBD

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2368/1865533271_9f62d8868a.jpg

[Anita & Marco]

Oh, isn't it great!!!???
Anita

[Sam B]

Sans children!!! You lucky LUCKY thing! How did you manage that? I can't ever imagine being sans children again.

I liked Wellington too.

[Lupin]

I live in a teeny community that rallied round to sort out my childcare so I could take on more hours at the school recently. Another family took our dog and another fed the lambs. I am Very Lucky, I know. The irony is that we never got away in the UK or had babysitters etc!

Hey Sam, if you didn't live 5 hours away I'd have them, I suspect they'd fit right in with my two :)

[Sam B]

Right, that's it. I'm moving to Hawkes Bay for DEFINITE.

Sam goes off to pack bags....

[Lupin]

LOL!

Don't forget your sunblock ....

(although you'll need gumboots atm)

[Mels]

look at all those cars at the traffic lights, at least 4, I could never cope with all that traffic!!! :p :laugh

[spudulike]

Aw, that view from the botanical gardens is my absolute favourite view of Wellington. It is a beautiful city!!

Glad you enjoyed it.

L :)