Page 2 of 7 FirstFirst 1234 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 66

Thread: Two and a half days to get a feel for Wellington

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    31

    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by Ana&Steve View Post
    Rich, let us know if you want to meet up during your visit.
    If you make one more post, you will be able to send and receive private messages.
    That's very kind of you. It would definitely be good to get some local insight. Thanks! I can trade you coffee in Fidel's for information. (Or something more alcoholic on Courtenay St.)

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    31

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JennyG View Post
    Hi Rich,
    I'd be interested to hear how you get on. I'd being doing all my planning based on moving to Auckland but hubby keeps seeing jobs based in Wellington ( hes an IT network enginer/team lead).

    My only problem is our 1st and only trip (2006) to Welly put us off slightly. It was wet and miserable and it was the first place we saw beggars on the street. However we did do the botantics which were lovely and skimmed past some of the downtown shopping. I really think we owe Welly another chance and to do a non tourist trip which should help us weigh up what it is we want from a base.
    I'll be sure to post my experiences. To be honest, you're the first people I've seen or spoken to who have had a bad word to say about Wellington! Having lived in Dublin for six years, the weather is not too much of a concern, although it is true that stuff always look better when the sun is out. The whole timescale for the interview has been quite short, so I haven't really had a chance to look into the weather yet. Fortunately (although the sun is out now), the UK summer has been pretty dreadful this year so the contrast is not likely to be that big.

    Quote Originally Posted by dharder View Post
    Not specific to Wellington, but I normally just like to walk around in new places. Look at different neighbourhoods, go shopping in a local supermarket, take a bus, have a coffee around lunchtime in a busy area, have a look at the station if you think you will be commuting, and as someone else suggested, maybe a couple of suburbs at different ends of the city.

    Personally, I wouldn't bother with a museum to find out if I could live in a place, that wouldn't influence my decision one way or the other (although Te Papa should take you all of about an hour, so you could probably squeeze it in ).

    Normally, I wouldn't even suggest the cable car, but it actually gives a good view over the place so that armed with a map, you might be able to get a better impression of where places are, just how hilly it is,etc.
    Being somewhat nerdy, and having travelled half way round the world, I think I have to go to Te Papa! As well as getting a feel for the city, I also want to get a better sense of New Zealand history and culture. It's not really something we learn much about over here.

    The job is at Victoria University, so I think a trip up the hill on the Cable Car is also a must - although I think I will try it on foot too, if I can. As much as possible, I like to commute and travel by foot, particularly when trying to get a feel for a place. Size gets distorted on public transport. (Although, I have heard the public transport in Wellington is great!)

    Going to a supermarket is a great idea. It's always something I notice when I go to visit friends in other places but something I rarely do when staying in a hotel. Are there any typically New Zealand snacks or sweets to bring back for those left behind? (They are always so much cheaper in the supermarket than the airport!)

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    56

    Default

    Hi

    Be great to hear how you get on, we are coming for a visit to Wellington in October (just need to get some job interviews sorted) and will be doing the same as you - getting a feel for the place. We have a few days in the centre and are then heading up the coast to Plimmerton to see some friends and see if it is an area we would like to live.

    Good luck for the interview

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Wellington, NZ from US
    Posts
    1,927

    Default

    The Pineapple Lump is an iconic NZ sweet...we love them but I know a lot of people think they are gross.
    Whittakers chocolate is another, as is Hokey Pokey ice cream; though I don't think the ice cream would enjoy the trip back to the UK
    We love TePapa and we've spent hours there and still not seen it all. I'd say go in and give it a quick go, but let it be something to look forward to for the future. The Wellington Land and Sea museum is also historically fascinating and much much smaller.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    NZ to US to NZ. Opua
    Posts
    1,470

    Default

    There are a couple of other Kiwis in the area where I live in Arizona. When I take a trip to NZ they always ask for Pineapple Lumps and Jaffas. Minties used to be on the list but they're really sticky and are hard on dental work!

    An hour isn't long enough in Te Papa!

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Scotland to Wellington
    Posts
    1,454

    Default

    If you want something really iconic, try getting a little jar of honey. You can get them from Honeymeisters opposite the tourist info office and main library or the supermarket.

    Good things to do - suggested already but definitely a little visit to Te Papa and walk along the waterfront, Museum of city and the sea, up cuba street (OK, it does look very scruffy at first), coffee in whichever cafe takes your fancy, up the cable car, if it is nice weather go on the dominion post ferry boat for a harbour cruise, take a bus - perhaps the number 3 to Lyall Bay beach and watch the surfing and the airport comings and goings from that iconic Wellington cafe The Maranui.
    Alternatively take the number 24 bus round the bays and up over the Miramar peninsula to Miramar (then take the number 2 bus back into town) - great views of the town and harbour and across to the south island mountains.
    Bus timetables here:
    http://www.metlink.org.nz/
    You could hire a car one day and go for a drive, how about driving the wellington bays and also to the top of mount victoria to get a feel for the coastline and geography of the city, or perhaps drive up the coast to Waikanae and across to the Wairarapa.
    Have a great time, hope you get some good weather and best wishes for the interview.

    The weather is generally better than the UK, we have been here 2 and a half years now and I have yet to wear gloves, scarf or a hat. The wind doesn't really bother us too much, there are bad days but there the wind goes and it's beautiful. It doesn't settle in for weeks at a time like in the UK.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Wellington, New Zealand
    Posts
    223

    Default

    I've been thinking of other things! We took the ferry to Eastbourne, it gave us fantastic views of Wellington from the harbour although watch out for that wind! I also loved Te Papa and spent far too long in the earthquake section, which I think is probably aimed at children!
    If you head down to Parliament do a tour - they are free from memory and really interesting. I particularly liked seeing the earthquake protection mechanism in the foundations.
    Oriental Bay is lovely for a stroll. The botanical gardens are beautiful. I didn't make it to the top of Mount Victoria but it's supposed to be amazing.
    I also found that everywhere in NZ had amazing Sushi. We got a beautiful, fresh, cheap, sushi from a little place in Cuba St and sat and people watched for a while.

    I am full of enthusiasm about Wellington at the moment because we will be there in just over a month!

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Wellington, NZ from US
    Posts
    1,927

    Default

    Oh lordy, I called it the "Land and Sea" museum instead of "City and Sea". I must have been thinking of steak and shrimp....
    This is what I meant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_...n_City_%26_Sea

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    317

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ana&Steve View Post
    Oh lordy, I called it the "Land and Sea" museum instead of "City and Sea". I must have been thinking of steak and shrimp....
    This is what I meant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_...n_City_%26_Sea
    You were thinking maybe of the City to Sea Bridge, quite iconic, connects Civic Square to the waterfront.

    I couldn't possibly 'do' Te Papa in an hour. The Bush Walk alone takes longer than that, done properly.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    31

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by girlwithanewf View Post
    Good things to do - suggested already but definitely a little visit to Te Papa and walk along the waterfront, Museum of city and the sea, up cuba street (OK, it does look very scruffy at first), coffee in whichever cafe takes your fancy, up the cable car, if it is nice weather go on the dominion post ferry boat for a harbour cruise, take a bus - perhaps the number 3 to Lyall Bay beach and watch the surfing and the airport comings and goings from that iconic Wellington cafe The Maranui.
    Alternatively take the number 24 bus round the bays and up over the Miramar peninsula to Miramar (then take the number 2 bus back into town) - great views of the town and harbour and across to the south island mountains.
    Bus timetables here:
    http://www.metlink.org.nz/
    Thanks for the bus routes and times - that's a great idea. (Useful having the route numbers too.) I did think of renting a car for the day but I think I will limit myself to the city... this trip!

Page 2 of 7 FirstFirst 1234 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •