Day 2 in Wellington, New Zealand

The rain has stopped, but it's still pretty chilly in Wellington. Yesterday, Friday, I woke up at 6 in the morning...after taking a nap at 4 in the afternoon on Thursday (sleeping the whole way through). I am still adjusting to the schedule. After lounging around for a majority of the morning, we set out to explore the city. Bundling up as much as possible, we ventured out.

We walked along the waterfront and explored the civic centre, home to many government offices, the library, and the visitor center. Along the water are lots of restaurants and ports. We stopped and had lunch at One Red Dog, a pizza place recommended in a guide book. I was starving...it was close to 2 in the afternoon and I hadn't eaten since breakfast at 7 in the morning. It's been difficult regulating my eating schedule. We had a pizza topped with (and these are quite interesting ingredients) pulled lamb shank, carmelised onions, pumpkin chunks, and rosemary. We are all about trying new flavors and local favorites. It was surprisingly good. I treated myself to a coca-cola, for a bit of a caffeine jolt, and it was served in a traditional glass bottle. However, I couldn't shake the cold feeling.

We ducked into a wine museum, featuring art and photographs depicting the wine history in New Zealand. Quick fact: Sauvignon Blanc comprises 67% of New Zealand's wine exports. Good to know! Upon arrival to the south island, I'm sure we will discover many vineyards where this wine is produced! Can't wait to tour the vineyards. We continued walking about the city in the windy cold. Wellington is comparable to San Francisco; there are cable cars, windy weather, and even painted ladies...there was even a salon called Haight-Ashbury. I was longing for hot cocoa or tea, but Bret and I had a long discussion about there being no Starbucks in NZ. Next corner we rounded, however, we ran right into one! I grabbed a Venti hot tea to warm me until we were back at the hostel. We peeked in to several shops on the journey back...lots of shopping all over the busy streets and plazas. The style here for the girls is skinny jeans tucked into flat knee-high boots, with long peacoats. Super cute, and I feel like I should go shopping or something!

After napping at the hostel and warming up yet again, we sought dinner. Night life in Wellington (especially on a Friday) was a little out of control. The streets were bustling with loud bar-hoppers, smokers, and music drifting out of the restaurants and bars. It was overwhelming and a total sensory overload for me. We settled for Pad Thai in a food court, some ice cream, and an early night in.

The sun still has yet to shine, as we spend our last day in Wellington today. Tomorrow we are taking a 3-hour early morning ferry to Picton (the top of the south island) and then a 6-hour bus ride down to Christchurch where we plan to settle and to prepare for my interview on Tuesday. I am excited to see the scenery of New Zealand throughout the trip tomorrow, and hopefully some sunshine and warmth!