Happy and healthy 2017, dear reader 🍾🍾🍾
Last night at the Belgium Bar, a Kiwi couple engaged us in conversation. They were axious to ascertain our views on NZ. I said tha t the landscape was more spectacular than expected and the people so engaging and without exception. the staff in hotels and restaurants were always polite and friendly. Considering tourism is their number one industry, having overtaken agriculture, he Kiwis value their visitors. However, we advised that we were shocked by the prices _ we had been warned about the cost of accommodation but not the cost of eating out. - both c 30% greater than Ireland.
As I understand it, the average Kiwi cannot afford to stay at a hotel- they are for business people and tourists. The middle-aged couple told us that they could not afford to travel the country as we were doing. He was a helicopter instructor and she worked at a University. They had travelled with an their son and daughter to work in Saudi for two years to make some money! A holiday in The Polynesian islands would be a cheaper option for them!
They were both from Wellington but lived on the South Island They had rented out their home for the holiday season and were staying with family - this allowed them to eat out!! How has the cost of living outstripped salaries ? Their answer a free trade agreement with Australia,whereby they cannot sell their produce below Australia. and Australia is in boom at present!! We then received lots of helpful advice as to where the highlights were down south with some hidden gems unknown to tourists!
Yet for all their low standard of living, a Dublin Bank teller , whom CC encountered when changing money, admitted the same but yet he had no regrets about moving his family here. It's the quality of their lives that one envies based on outdoor pursuits.
We continued to the harbour two blocks away to see the fireworks display at midnight.
There was s concert on and the young people were seated enjoying themselves awaiting NewYear's arrival.
It didn't disappoint!
Around us lots of young people exceptionally well behaved.
This morning we wake to rain!! Can you believe it - we go to NZ for a summer and end up with cool temperatures and rain! The city has very successfully situated itself between the harbour of Pirt Nicholson and the surrounding hills. Modern and traditional architecture have been successfully married. Ian Atfield revamped Wellington in the 1990s with the addition of Civic Square comprising a modern library, an Art Deco Art Gallery and its many sculptures.
We left the hotel to visit Te Papa museum, another example of Wellington's architecture.
Wellington is known as the Windy City. - partly because of the wind that comes off the Cook straits and partly due the funnelling effect down the streets between the tall buildings. I was almost blown onto a road such was the force of the wind !! Captain Cook was unable to enter Wellington Harbour in 1773 due to the severity of the wind!!
We arrived at the entrance of the building that is Te Papa. Inside also impresses. Our first visit is to Gallipoli experience.
There is a large queue and I'm reliably informed that it is most impressive.
The exhibition was truly impressive- the depth of coverage was immense. If you dear reader, visit Wellington do not miss the Gallipoli exbition.
Our next visit is to the 'Awesome Forces' exhibition which explains the volcanic forces , which have shaped the NZ landscape . It too did not disappoint and the highlight was the replication of the experience of being in a house as a force 5 earthquake hit!! We had a short visit to the Passport section - detailing the lives of some of the immigrants over the years.
We braved the wind and rain and returned to the hotel. Hopefully the weather will be kinder tomorrow........
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