Wellington: South Coast and Zealandia Wildlife Sanctuary

I went up to Wellington for a conference but had a few days before it started to relax and enjoy the outdoors with some people who were visiting. The flight there was smooth and I couldn't help noticing how the traveler/tourist's impression when flying Air New Zealand must be one of that 'clean, green' image they're trying so hard to promote. The hot drink cup was all about conservation, and the CookieTime cookie had a forest with kiwis all over it (never mind that the kiwis are struggling to survive with all of the introduced predators and people not having to keep their pets indoors). But the view of the snow-capped mountains was gorgeous as usual.

It was my second time visiting Zealandia Wildlife Reserve, but it was a good day for it - sunny with a breeze. I saw tuatara and birds and cool plants. Listening to the birdsong never gets old.

The World War I exhibit at Te Papa Museum was put together by Weta Workshop (Peter Jackson's) and featured huge soldiers and a nurse with audio and interactive components. It was cool and the features on the people were very lifelike, with hair and sweat and cuts and dirt. I was a little disappointed that the only woman, the nurse, was portrayed in such a feminine pose, crying and hunched over, rather than doing something related to her work.

 

A local recommended checking out the south coast of Wellington, and that was a beautiful spot, even though it meant that we were walking around the peninsula in the hot sunshine on one of the few days that it actually gets like that! The view of the South Island with the snow-capped mountain in the distance was beautiful. And the red rocks area was cool. The washed-up seaweed made cool patterns when it dried.