It's getting colder!!

Hello,

Just thought that we'd give you a quick update from NZ, not too much to say as still haven't bought a car, so haven't been able to venture out too far!

Jobs etc are still going well and gradually exploring all that Wellington has to offer. Still a bit weird to be earning, so having to investigate new restaurants / bars on a weekly basis!

A few weekends ago we went to Wellington's annual food show with our neighbours. Sounds a bit of an old, sensible thing to do, but with so many free wine tastings the 5 hours went pretty quickly! Got a bit desperate and needy as they were shutting up though...couldn't let them finish with any half bottles still open could we?!?

We hired a car for the Queen's Birthday Bank Holiday Weekend (yes we do get a day off for her b'day here, bloody colonies!). Sadly the weather did its best to put us off going anywhere, whilst we did sack off the idea of camping, we did manage three good days out.

Saturday wasn't too bad, so headed round the coast to the most southerly tip of the North Island, Cape Palliser. On the way had a walk around the Putangirua Pinnacles - a series of towers of river gravels (still geologists!) weathered out of the cliffs...very eerie and atmospheric, with boulders ready to fall out on you, but pretty cool (apparently it was used to film some scene for Lord of the Rings - but where isn't it seems!!)

Cape Palliser is pretty remote, with just a couple of holiday homes, a lighthouse (with the steepest steps (249!) ever to get up to it!) and a huge fur seal colony - so cool to watch them lazing about on the grass by the side of the road (shitty gravel track!). Were a bit scared to get too close as they are pretty vocal and argumentative it seems, oh yeah and they stink! Pretty cute though from the comfort and safety of the car.


The coast around there was really atmospheric because of the weather and the deserted black sand beaches...in comparison to the busier white sand beaches the other side of Wellington where we went on Sunday (white because of the sand and the HAIL STORMS that battered us!). Told you it was getting colder, even had snow flurries in Wellington, first time in 14 years apparently. You really get blown about here when a southerly storm comes through straight from the Antarctic!

Were told the weather was going to be nicer on Monday, so ventured up into the hills about an hour away for a good walk in the snow. Got off to a pretty bad start...seven river fords within the first half an hour...decided to be un-Kiwi and take our boots off - got a bit tedious and very cold with the water only just above freezing, but at least kept our boots a bit drier for the walk up.

No real views on the walk, but was really peaceful walking up through a snow covered beech forest. Unfortunately the clouds came down as we got to somewhere with a view, so made a hasty retreat...the hire car needed to be back...crossed the river seven more times...boots on this time...and got back just as the rain started!

Ok, so there we are for the time being, update you again soonish! The ski season has just started in the south, so getting ready for fun and frolics in the snow before long! It's the shortest day soon, so means more time to explore outside after then, so will have more to tell you next time!

Hope you're all well, email / skype us to update on any of your news...not that we're missing home!