A Full Day in Wellington

What a full Saturday!  This morning started with a full, hearty breakfast that the girls helped set up and put away.  We had homemade yogurt and granola, fresh fruits, whole grain toast and New Zealand butter.  We got on the road early so that we could experience all that Wellington has to offer!

 

Our first stop was at the Te Papa Museum which is the National Museum of New Zealand.  What a small world- our museum guide was originally from Louisiana!  We never thought we’d be greeted with a “y’all!”  Bruce was so informative and really showed the girls the heart of the Maori Culture.  We even saw a preserved baby colossal squid.  We had a picnic lunch and a few minutes for WiFi service- I hope you received some calls!

The only preserved giant colossal squid

A traditional Marae.  We'll be staying in a marae in a few nights!

The original cape and helmet from Captain Cook- made of bird feathers!

After lunch we did a 4-5 mile walking tour of Wellington- we saw everything from the campus at Victoria University to the “12^th South” type neighborhoods.  After a quick break for local ice cream, we traveled by cable car to the Botanical Gardens. 

We made it back to the lodge by 5- just in time for a quick swim by some of the girls.  The girls are currently eating fresh grilled bread and local tomatoes, basil, and olive oil…aka NZ style bruschetta!    Marina is a native Italian and is making us lasagna as we speak.  I’m sure we’ll all be ready for bed with full tummies and happy hearts soon! 

A very special Happy Birthday to our sweet kiwi, Emily!!!!  Happy 18^th Birthday!  We hope New Zealand has been a great spot for this birthday!