Wellington

For some people today was their last full day and only opportunity to look around New Zealand’s capital - Wellington. It also is where Steve and Nick Willis grew up, so local knowledge was likely to be in abundance. We wanted to make the most of it and see as much of the city as possible in the time available to us.

In the morning we went to the track and did a run from there. While me and Andrea just did an easy barefoot run around a football pitch behind the track, the majority of the KiwiRun party ran up the Wellington hills. Having initially thought they were just doing a flattish run they were a little surprised to see the severity of some of the climbs. So far it has been quite a trip for running up hills and some of the guys (and girls) were joking that they have probably run up most of them in the North Island ;). What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!!

Leaving the track we headed into Wellington CBD and got a curry for lunch in our first sit-down meal of the day. We then had 4 hours to look around the city centre. We walked down a few of the main high-streets and then towards the government building before heading to the Te Paka Museum (Wellingtons national museum). On the way we stopped for an obligatory hot chocolate to rest our weary legs. For our UK readers the Te Paka museum is as interactive as the Science Museum in London and definitely worth visiting if you are in the area. They even have a kids section which Andrea made the most of (just kidding… that was me really ).


Looking over the Wellington skyline.


Te Paka - The only museum in the world to have a giant squid exhibition.

In the evening everyone met up again and we had our last group meal together as 3 of our party are leaving tomorrow (KiwiRun is sadly coming to an end). We had a mini-awards ceremony for the departing (the extended version will be held tomorrow night at a BBQ for everyone else). After dinner a few of us went to a Karaoke bar - where I did my first ever performance….alone (maybe next time Andrea, what do you reckon??) - before we headed back to the lodge. Again we went straight to sleep as we were absolutely knackered.


Proof that me and Dylan rocked the karaoke!