Heading from Rotorua to Wellington. It’s a 6-hour drive we’ve done as fast as we could to enjoy the warm (26°C) and sunny weather in Wellington. Our only sacrifice to speed was two stops: for coffee at Taupo and to see what deals we could get at the Icebreaker Outlet in Otaki.
Crossing about 1/3 of the North Island (if you include the North Peninsula) also allowed us to see plains, mountains, farmland, and everything in between. Two notable things in the “in between category” were Mount Doom (a.k.a. Mount Ngauruhoe) and Mordor (Mount Tongariro surroundings).
First impressions of Wellington: it seems livelier than Auckland. Perhaps due to the fact that more people are back at work?
We stopped by the Botanical garden (and take advantage of the awesome weather for outdoor time). It’s a bit disappointing. Think of it as more a set of flowers along a sloping pedestrian street than an actual garden. Made for a nice walk however. We “found” a small duck pond at the bottom of the gardens and spent some time with the ducks and ducklings before heading to Victoria Peek to get an overview of the city. It’s a little over an hour’s walk from the bottom of the gardens and it’s a worthwhile walk. Wellington is well designed for pedestrians with a bunch of small walkways that saves pedestrians from having to go uphill just to cross a street. Also, at the top of the peak you get an awesome view of Wellington and its surroundings.
After a well-deserved dinner, we’re back at the hotel planning our next day in the city. Sadly, with two outdoor destinations done, we’ve covered 2/3 of the city's highly rated outdoor activities. We’ll have to do indoor activities, maybe try to find the best place to eat in the city? 😁