We had big, big plans for Wellington, especially with the ship scheduled to be there from 8:00 in the morning until 11:30 at night. So we scurried off the ship, jumped on the very first shuttle, and headed straight for the iconic streetcar that ferries locals and tourists up to the top of the city’s Botanical Gardens.
We made it that far before stumbling on a promotion for (and free shuttle to) Zealandia, a nature preserve located right smack in the heart of Wellington. Ages ago, the city built two large dams here, creating a massive lake, but later, the dams were found to straddle a major fault line. Fearing that a rumble could crack open the dams and unleash a flood that would destroy the city, the lakes were drained — mostly — and the dams abandoned.
But enterprising Welligtonites saw an opportunity to repurpose the space as a nature preserve. Up went high-tech fences (to keep out all kinds of predators, from housecats to possums), in went several dozen rare and native species of birds and animals, and, before you knew it, there was a little slice of paradise right in the heart of town.
We hiked several of the trails, pausing along the way to visit with green-headed parrots, lively geckos, two huge local lizards said to be direct descendants of the dinosaurs, and an aged pair of the rarest birds in the world. The way up the hills into the bush was vertical, but shady and pleasant; the way back down, though, was in full New Zealand noonday sunlight. There’s a hole in the ozone layer down here, centered right over the islands, and, as a result, the sun is especially harsh and bright. So, despite a slathering of sun block, by the time we got back down into town, I was feeling a bit like I’d been simmered in butter.
From there, we resumed our original plan, walking downhill through the Botanical Gardens (which, as it turns out, incorporate both an elaborate rose garden … and a historical cemetery). An hour’s walk put us right in the heart of the Central Business District, where there was lots and lots of shopping, but, on a Saturday, not much in the way of dining. (Burger King, I should note, was open.) So we wound up in a local hotel, eating nachos at Arizona, which I imagine is a bit like the local Chili’s. Not a four-star meal by any means … but tasty, especially when you’re starving.
We had planned to do more, but our long walk through the wilds of Zealandia and the steep inclines of the botanical gardens took their toll, and once on the shuttle, we headed back to the ship. Once back there, we napped until dinner time, then spent a happy dinner hour swapping travel tales with newfound friends Jim and Doug — a Canadian couple, together 30+ years, who share our passion for getting out there and seeing whatever the world has to offer.
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