Wellington

On our tour around the North Island, we have finally made it from the northern tip of Cape Reinga to the capital of Wellington in the south.  Our first impression of the city was that it is WINDY.  I don't mean a slight breeze, but a wind so strong that you have trouble walking straight (if you can move forward at all).  Our second impression was that it reminds us a bit of Seattle :)

taken near the marina

Wellington has been said to have more bars, restaurants, and cafes per capita than New York City.  There is a lot to do there and plenty to entertain.  Andy and I decided to go to the Te Papa Museum (the national museum of New Zealand) on the waterfront:

Our decision to go there was based primarily on two reasons: 1.) it was highly recommended and 2.) it was free!  Can't beat that.  They had a lot of interesting exhibits, such as: Mountains to Sea (a sample of NZ's animal and plant life), Awesome Forces (focusing on the forces that shaped NZ's landscapes with particular emphasis on earthquakes; it included an interactive house where you could experience an earthquake simulation), and The Marae (a look at Maori artwork).  We learned a lot about the history, culture, and wildlife of New Zealand.  Well worth the visit.

entrance to Mountains & Sea exhibit

the only Colossal Squid on public display in the world

the entrance to the Earthquake exhibit

Afterwards, we drove to the nearby Mt. Victoria lookout to get some nice shots of the city.  Though it had been a nice morning, it was quite overcast by then.  So keep in mind that these pictures do not do the city justice:

We only spent a day exploring Wellington and are now making our way northwards again.  We have less than a week now to return our campervan to Auckland.  But first, we have a couple more stops on our itinerary...