Wednesday, April 16, 2008

April 7th, Masterton to Wellington – 115 kilometers

After a “flat white” (cappuccino with minimal foam) we were on the road in pouring rain. Unfortunately there is a 45 kilometer stretch of twisties over the Rimutaka mountain range from Featherston to Upper Hutt that is a fantastic motorcycle ride but we drove through at low speed due to rain and minimal visibility due to cloud. However, just as we arrived across the harbour from Wellington, the sun came out and the city looked gorgeous. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and has a regional population of about 416,000.It is a seaport, business and center of government with steep hills, spectacular views, an active arts and entertainment scene, great shopping and beautiful parks and buildings.

After settling in at our downtown lodgings, we went on a walking tour and went up the cable car. It was first installed in the 1880’s to allow access for housing development above the city. It was an incredibly successful venture with over 2 million passengers in 1912. We then toured a museum and the botanical gardens. Later we went for a workout at the aquatic center. We have tickets booked on the ferry to South Island at 10:30 tomorrow morning.



1. Cattle Country Near Masterson 2. Main Street in Typical Small New Zealand Town



3. Wellington From Top of Cable Car 4. Dave in Front of National Museum



5. Dave in Front of Cable Car

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