Wellington on 31st of October

Aaaaaa-ooooo-teeeee-aaaaa-roooo-oooo-aaaaa.

Spent a windy yet brilliant day in Wellington on Sunday, although we couldn't get into the Movietours as it was fully booked (blame me for not prebooking it weeks ago, but then I didn't know that there was something like „LOTR Movie Tours“, did I?!? I still have to watch those movies yet, and I don't know what could happen to make me do that!!).

Which was our luck really, as we decided to just take a bus to the „Weta Caves“, that famous studio were all the animations and artworks for films like LOTR and AVATAR were being produced.

Apart from me just LOVING to explore cities by bus, it turned out that one of the world-wide acclaimed illustrators for LOTR, Mr. John Howe, was doing a book signing at the Weta Cave this afternoon!!

Although I have absolutely no idea who he is, nor did I know anything about anything that was being put on the shelves there, everyone apart from me knew, apparently. There were long queues, with people frantically buying books and stuff, and so we queued up. In the end, Rob got his book signed, I took pictures, but I still don't know who from...... although I thought it was amazing that they had a collection of hairdryers on display!

Anyhow, today really got me into Wellington. I mean, REALLY. I honestly wish we could spend another day here, so I could take in even more of this city, but then in about 8 hours we will get up again to hit the Bluebridge Ferry terminal to get onto our ferry to the South Island.

If it wasn't for this trip, I'd talk Rob into exploring a certain quarter of Wellington which we drove through today by bus, and which I absolutely loved............we'll keep that for next time.

There will be a next time. I don't know when, I just know we will have to come back to Aotearoa, be it for another holiday, or for whatever life might throw at us....

We took the Cable Car today, and had an amazing view of the city and the port, went into some shops (yes!! the NZ shops ARE open on Sundays, no matter what you stupid travel guide writers might say!!), and got some Rugby/All Blacks treasures to take home (did I mention yet that I LOVE Rugby and especially the All Blacks, even though they lost against bleeding Australia last night?!), then we went for dinner into the most acclaimed Chinese restaurant only to realize that the portions were so small we had to go into a Kiwi Pub to get some afters in form of fish guijons and squid bits later. Turns out that place had the first decent cocktails since we arrived in NZ, so we had a Margarita (Rob) and a Mojito (me) before heading back to the hotel were we are now, getting ready for bed and the crossing of the Cook Strait tomorrow morning.

I am writing this offline, can't be bothered to buy another internet ticket, so it might be some time until I can actually post this. But then Dad and Tara phoned last night, which was lovely!!, and everyone else will probably have the patience to wait. ;)

I'll give you guys the chance to waste some time in between: What tattoo shall I get? A proper Moko of some description, or - what I prefer – one verse of the Maori version of NZ's national anthem in spiralform, and where should I get it tattood (if I can work up the courage to do it, that is!!)?

Over and out from the North Island.