Wellington on a Good Day

As the saying goes, “You can’t beat Wellington on a good day.” Heck, it’s even a song! Ok, I just found out about the song, and it is about as Kiwi as it gets. Please listen for a laugh – actually, it’s not half bad.

Anyway, I’d argue you can’t beat Wellington any day, but it sure is the best when the sun is shining. Luckily, a few weeks back when Higgs and I set out for a trek while Andy had a game of footy/soccer, it was a beauuutiful day! We were headed for the most touristy spot of all (but for good reason), Mount Victoria.

As you can see from the angle of the street, it’s steep before you even get to the trail!

Pretty soon, we were on one of many gorgeous wooded paths that wind up Mount Vic.

I hadn’t gone up this particular one before, so it was great to see the city from yet another angle.

Can you spot the camo Vallhund?

I love all the amazing trees that grow on Mount Vic. No matter how many times I come up here, I have to photograph them.

Before long, we joined the hordes of tourists who had bussed to the top for the view. Can you blame them, though?

Skipping the lookout itself, we headed to another spot a minute further up the road for an even better view, with about 200 less people.

I won’t say it was necessarily quieter, since SOMEONE barked throughout my sit-down lunch.

Still, look at this slice of paradise!

Time to break out the telephoto lens, considering it was such a clear day.

Ferries and boats were out in full force, taking advantage of the first day that truly felt like spring.

And have you SEEN a city center this gorgeous anywhere else? I can’t think of many.

The passengers on this Air New Zealand flight definitely got some epic views during takeoff. If you forget about the bumpy landings thanks to wind here, flights in and out of Wellington truly have some of the most epic scenery.

Higgs could pull all he liked, but I wasn’t passing up these photo ops. I especially loved the native flax silhouetted against Wellington Harbour.

Ok, Higgs! I’m done. I’m done. Time to head downhill.

We accidentally took an exceptionally steep path meant for mountain bikes, and even lead another hiker astray into the same knee-killing descent. All three of us made it out, and I found time to say sorry to her as she neared the bottom. In classic Kiwi fashion, her response was “Nah, it’s all good!”

Back on a blissfully flat-ish trail again, we enjoyed the views and sunshine.

Everything is so lush here, no matter the time of year. It takes some getting used to when winter back home is pretty stark and barren, but I can’t complain. Come spring, the forest overflows with green.

The trail popped out at Oriental Bay, another popular spot on a good day in Wellington.

With a white sand beach, loads of cute cafes and a wide path hugging the coast, it’s easy to see why people hang out here.

With an hour or so left to kill, we headed along the coast and around the bays. Yeah, there are lots of bays here!

Higgs is a big fan of sampling any and every bay. While he cools his belly, I comb the rocky beaches for big chunks of sea glass. There are lots of great finds around here!

You can’t forget to look up from time to time, though, with views like these.

Passing Little Karaka Bay and Balaena Bay, we neared Weka Bay and Kio Bay, all part of the bigger Evans Bay. Are you confused yet? Yeah, I had to use Google Maps for this part of the post.

Since there are so many little bays and slivers of beach, it’s easy to find a spot to yourself. Of course, such solitude calls for a self-timer shot. Nice tongue, Higgs!

The houses in the Evans Bay area are gorgeous (and understandably expensive), and I could look at them all day. I especially like the zig-zag walkways.

Even in full sunshine, the coast can still make for a great moody photo, with a lone runner rounding the curve of the harbor road, Wellington bound.

Coming up on the sheltered inner part of Evans Bay, the views toward Miramar were lovely, with calm seas and sailboats aplenty.

You can’t pass the “windy” Wellington Sign without a photo. It’s a nod to the film industry here in what is known as Wellywood, thanks to people like Peter Jackson, while also providing a great welcome to planes landing at the nearby airport.

And I can recognize someone who would look good on the big screen when I see them…

This just might be my favorite photo of Higgs I’ve ever taken, but that’s a hard call considering just how many there are.

As we neared our rendezvous spot with Andy, there was enough time to enjoy the colorful bayside boathouses.

And of course, their doors!

I hope this is enough Wellington to last you a while! In three days, Andy and I will be off to the States to get married in New England amidst the foliage, followed by a honeymoon in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Olympic National Park, Portland and a night in San Fran on the way home). There will be many, many blogs to come after our exciting adventures! See you all in a few weeks. ♥