Weekend in Wanganui via Wellington - Part One

Valentine's Day in Wellington

Valentine's Day found us in Wellington, capital of New Zealand. It's a quick "up and down", 40 minute flight from Christchurch and it takes us just 40 mins to drive to the airport. So, a jaunt really!

We left a sunny and warm Christchurch and arrived in a cloudy but warm Wellington and caught the shuttle bus to Courtenay Place and walked to our hotel on Cuba Street, and old and renowned eclectic area of Wellington.

Bags dumped, we headed out to Te Papa and the waterfront, we'd been dying to experience the earthquake room (especially after the biggie I experienced while Woz slept a few months ago). Well, it was ok, don't rush to Wellington especially for it!! Woz was entranced by the Britten motorbike as you'll see from his post and I just loved wandering around the museum, it's a great place, and free (donations).

Te Papa Tongarewa
(Museum of New Zealand, Wellington)

After a quick dip in the pool back at the hotel we headed out to explore and find somewhere to eat and drink Val's night away. On a recommendation from our friend Debbie in Wanganui, who we were headed for the next day, we ate at Chow. Great Asian-fusion food, contemporary style and lovely cocktails! *wink*. Woz stuck to a 25 yr old single malt and a beer and I relied on the waitress's cocktail recommendations (boy did she have a lot of recommendations!).

Wearing new girly peep-toe shoes (doh!) and a dress (yes, a dress!) we staggered back to Cuba Street and settled on a cocktail bar I'd spotted earlier. Called S&M's (first clue?!) it was a very masculine and trendy bar (second clue?!), with a great cocktail menu and not much beer (ok, it's getting obvious now isn't it?!).

Further scouting revealed that I was, in fact, one of two women in the entire place - the other NOT being in a dress and who definitely wouldn't be seen in peep-toe shoes.

However, having spent many a great evening in bars of this bias in the past, we stayed and sampled the cocktails and chatted with the clientele and bar staff and had a bloomin' great evening! Met a great guy from the U.K. at the bar when buying drinks who I spent half an hour with doing Little Britain impersonations finishing with "i'm/you're the only straight in the bar" in bad Welsh accents!!

Much amusement was had by watching obviously "lost" groups of lads come in to the bar.. and leave quite quickly...

We headed back to the hotel and had a few more drinks (such a shame room-service insisted Lindauer was champers though *bleeurrrgh*) and an early-ish night as we had to check-out and collect the hire car the next day to drive to Wanganui.