It's been four months since I moved here from Singapore, and I was getting a bit restless in New Plymouth. To be honest, I have found it difficult in New Plymouth, despite getting into a routine of work, soccer and hanging with a handful of newfound friends. It could have been the rainy winter or the very uneventful weeknights, but I suppose it was time to get out and explore again, especially since I got my new camera a month earlier. More importantly, I had recently befriended a sweet girl by the name of Nicola (through Marco), a New Plymouth local then based in Wellington, and she was keen to show me around her city.
I left the office a couple of hours earlier to make the 5 hour drive down, which was rather uneventful, taking a rest stop at Wanganui to try the Brazil Burger at McDonald's (World Cup fever!). I arrived in Wellington around 2045hrs, checked into the Cambridge Hotel, and contacted Nicola. I met her for a drink at Matterhorn bar along Cuba Street, and caught up a bit, as well as plan how I was to spend my short weekend in Wellington. So in point form, here is what I did in around 48hrs:
Friday evening:
Arrive in Wellington
Drinks with Nicola at Matterhorn, Cuba Street
Had an Old Fashioned at the Library, a very hip cocktail bar
Saturday:
Relocated my car to a free parking zone, and explored the residential area
Spent 3hrs in Te Papa, the national museum of New Zealand - great stuff! Horde of knowledge on geology, New Zealand history, flora and fauna of New Zealand, and cultural development.
Checked out the Wellington Chocolate Factory - artisan bean to bar chocolate factory in the heart of the city
Quick tour of Fix and Fogg peanut butter factory - just a stone's throw from the factory, but amazing set up. One main work area for processing the nuts which doubles as a store front (bottles of peanut butter are sold through the window!), one room to store glass bottles, and a restroom. about 50 square metres to produce all that goodness for the entire Wellington!
Great to see how local enterprises are well supported and packaged extremely well
Caught up with Eva, a Czech couchsurfer based in Welllington, for a craft beer tasting session at the Crafty Tavern. This turned out to be the cheapest booze fest, where $10 got us unlimited tasting of Tautara craft beer.
Met up with Nicola for dinner at Havana - a hip restaurant with great ambience and decent tapas
We then proceeded to Hawthorns for a couple of digestifs and great conversation
Around midnight after Nicola left for home, I caught with Eva again for another round of drinks. I met Eva and her friends at Heaven's Pizza, and then proceeded to her place for a house party with her housemates, where we spoke about modern music, played guitar, drank wine and tried some local Garage Project craft beer. I think I stumbled back to the hotel at 0400hrs.
Sunday:
Woke up to watch the 3rd/4th place match between Netherlands and Brazil, and lost money on my bets (Brazil to win; under 2.5 goals - Netherlands won 3-0).
Drove up Mount Victoria to catch a view of the city. Not great, but the rain and sun produced a fantastic rainbow for some pretty decent pictures.
Got back to the city for some shopping and stopped by the Six Barrel Soda Co. for some locally produced soda.
Walked up Aro Street to buy myself some local beer from the Garage Project, and made my way back to Cuba Street to say farewell to Eva, and stuff a fantastic burger from Ekim.
I then caught up with Nicola to catch La Traviata at St James Theatre, which was very well performed, as expected.
I then bade farewell to Nicola, and made the 5hr drive back to New Plymouth, stopping at Bulls for a quick dinner. This did not turn out too well, as the food made me real sleepy, and the last 40km in the darkness and fog could have turned pretty nasty if not for some good fortune. I tried to roll down the windows, sticking close to the street lines, following cars in front of me, stretched, turned up the music, but still found myself spacing out and wondering what happened a moment ago.
Thankfully, the ride was uneventful as before and I made it back to my place at 2230hrs.
Lessons learnt:
Small enterprises can do well with the right location, packaging and marketing & distribution channels (symbiotic relationships amongst fellow small businesses)
Wellington is a walking city with everything you need accessible by foot
One should rest after 2hrs of driving (recommended by GPS)
Don't eat too much before a long drive
I left the office a couple of hours earlier to make the 5 hour drive down, which was rather uneventful, taking a rest stop at Wanganui to try the Brazil Burger at McDonald's (World Cup fever!). I arrived in Wellington around 2045hrs, checked into the Cambridge Hotel, and contacted Nicola. I met her for a drink at Matterhorn bar along Cuba Street, and caught up a bit, as well as plan how I was to spend my short weekend in Wellington. So in point form, here is what I did in around 48hrs:
 |
| Wellington - full of delightful street art |
Arrive in Wellington
Drinks with Nicola at Matterhorn, Cuba Street
Had an Old Fashioned at the Library, a very hip cocktail bar
Saturday:
Relocated my car to a free parking zone, and explored the residential area
Spent 3hrs in Te Papa, the national museum of New Zealand - great stuff! Horde of knowledge on geology, New Zealand history, flora and fauna of New Zealand, and cultural development.
 |
| Te Papa museum |
 |
| Sweet aroma of chocolate fills the Wellington Chocolate Factory |
Checked out the Wellington Chocolate Factory - artisan bean to bar chocolate factory in the heart of the city
 |
| Last bag of peanuts at Fix and Fogg - Business is good! |
Great to see how local enterprises are well supported and packaged extremely well
Caught up with Eva, a Czech couchsurfer based in Welllington, for a craft beer tasting session at the Crafty Tavern. This turned out to be the cheapest booze fest, where $10 got us unlimited tasting of Tautara craft beer.
Met up with Nicola for dinner at Havana - a hip restaurant with great ambience and decent tapas
We then proceeded to Hawthorns for a couple of digestifs and great conversation
Around midnight after Nicola left for home, I caught with Eva again for another round of drinks. I met Eva and her friends at Heaven's Pizza, and then proceeded to her place for a house party with her housemates, where we spoke about modern music, played guitar, drank wine and tried some local Garage Project craft beer. I think I stumbled back to the hotel at 0400hrs.
Sunday:
Woke up to watch the 3rd/4th place match between Netherlands and Brazil, and lost money on my bets (Brazil to win; under 2.5 goals - Netherlands won 3-0).
Drove up Mount Victoria to catch a view of the city. Not great, but the rain and sun produced a fantastic rainbow for some pretty decent pictures.
 |
| Catching the rainbow on Mt Victoria |
 |
| At Six Barrel Soda Co. |
Walked up Aro Street to buy myself some local beer from the Garage Project, and made my way back to Cuba Street to say farewell to Eva, and stuff a fantastic burger from Ekim.
 |
| Brewery at Aro St Garage Project |
 |
| La Traviata performed by the New Zealand Opera |
Thankfully, the ride was uneventful as before and I made it back to my place at 2230hrs.
Lessons learnt:
Small enterprises can do well with the right location, packaging and marketing & distribution channels (symbiotic relationships amongst fellow small businesses)
Wellington is a walking city with everything you need accessible by foot
One should rest after 2hrs of driving (recommended by GPS)
Don't eat too much before a long drive
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be nice!