After leaving the Abel Tasman trail, I hopped on a boat in Picton to Wellington, my first stop on the North Island.
Picton also happens to be incredibly beautiful.
While the South Island met me with warm, sunny days, Wellington proved to be wet, windy, and cold. The weather gave Wellington a very whimsical feel, creating small waterfalls down the city’s steep cliffs and winding roads. The walk to my Airbnb on the top of a hill felt like trekking through a mini-rainforest. I was only a twenty-minute walk from the city center, but it was easy to forget I was in a city.
Wellington at night.
Traffic proved to be a huge issue, no doubt a result of the steep, one-lane roads and sudden growth that the city is struggling to keep up with. There aren’t a lot of options to get around outside of driving or taking the bus, so I tried to walk as much as possible lest I also get caught up in the congestion.
My first stop in New Zealand was the Weta Workshop, known for its special effects work on Lord of the Rings (their first large project), as well as District 9, Avatar, Blade Runner 2049, and a plethora of others. It was interesting to see how everything is made, but the most exciting part was seeing how passionate everyone there is about their work. They are all, even in their free time, working on side projects using their skills – designing, props, games, cosplays, etc. The work was incredible.
I couldn’t visit New Zealand’s beer capital without stopping for a pint, so I left Weta Workshop and headed straight for Garage Project, the country’s most popular craft brewery. I had visited some pubs in Christchurch, but Garage Project by far had my favorite beer and vibes. A wide collection of their own brews, as well as curated local favorites, made this place very difficult to leave. ‘End of the Golden Weather’ was by far my winner, a citrus sour that I picked up an extra bottle of to sip on later.
Unfortunately by nightfall, it started raining sideways so most of the city closed down. I headed back to my Airbnb, drenched and trying to claim my bed back from the apartment’s resident cat.
I’m happy to report I eventually got my bed back.