The greatest little city in the world.

I flew down to Wellington last weekend to do the final assessments for my very last post grad diploma paper. Yes, in a few weeks I'll have some letters to add after my name which I'll probably never use, yet took me three years to earn. 

I've been to the capital several times over the last three years for this qualification and I find something new and wonderful each time. I can never get enough of the buildings, the harbour, the museums, the food, the festivals, the vintage scene. There is so much that's worth a trip to Wellington.

Getting of the plane and into the city is so easy on the public bus. You can be dropped right in the heart of Wellington within 20 minutes for $9.00. I was starving, having decided to skip Jetstar's pre-ordered offering. I found a gem of a cafe called Loretta's, on Cuba street. The food was excellent, and the lay out and display very tempting. The wait staff weren't that friendly, but I'd return for the ginger poached pears alone.

Bircher Museli and Ginger Poached Pear...Yum yum yum.

                                     

A table laid out with glass-dome covered pastries

I can never visit without checking on the parliament buildings. New Zealand's centre of government. Last time I visited it was hot and sunny, and there was a noisy protest outside the buildings. This time it was fairly quiet. The wet, misty weather keeping everyone civil. I'm always surprised when I come upon the Beehive, that it isn't bigger. No bigger than any of the surrounding buildings, It appears out of no-where, its architecture unmistakable.  You can take free tours through the buildings. They leave hourly. It's well worth a visit.

The Beehive

I caught the train out to Waikanae to visit family. It's an hour along the coast. The view is stunning. Rough waves crashing onto the west coast shoreline, interspersed with rolling green hills studded with sheep.

View from the train to Waikanae

Waikanae has one of those wild west coast beaches, all dark sand, rolling waves, and few people. Beautiful.

It also has the Southern Hemisphere's largest private classic car collection at Southward Car Museum. I didn't get to visit this trip, but it's on the list for next time.

I had a great evening with my family and caught the train back stuffed full of good food and laughter.

It was late by the time we finished at the university on Saturday night. I decided to wander through the streets and see what was happening. Not much as it turns out, the weather was terrible and it wasn't late enough to be cool.

Then I turned a corner and there it was, quiet and unassuming. My heart began to beat, breath quickening. Was it closed? Oh God please don't let it be closed. It's 8pm on Saturday night, of course it'll be closed. I press my nose up to the window, on the other side a man is staring back at me, we're almost eye to eye, and there are other people inside. It's open!

 Pegasus Books the website is underwhelming, but the shop is a treasure trove of literary delights. Not the prices of my usual charity shop finds, but what a selection, with cosy reading spots tucked into random corners surrounded by shelves of books stacked floor to ceiling.

It was at this point I deeply regretted purchasing a flight with carry-on only. I was already been over the 7kg limit on the way out. But I couldn't leave with nothing, so many beautiful volumes! I couldn't resist a copy of Edgar Allen Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination, 1972. Not $2.00, but not too bad either. Thank you Jet Star for not weighing my carry on.

I wandered the city a little more, then caught an Uber ride back to my Airbnb accommodation, feeling very cosmopolitan. 

Courtney place, Wellington

On Sunday, I flew home to Auckland. Just over 12 hours later, an earthquake shook Wellington and Kaikoura, everything in between, and then some. People said they felt it all the way up in Auckland.
I didn't. And I'm glad. It must have been terrifying.

A good friend lives in Christchurch and once told me about her experience of the earthquake there in 2011. She describes waking up to the room shaking. Trying to crawl off the bed, while it was shunted to and fro across the room, to get to her children whom she could hear screaming down the corridor Her description of not being able to get off that bed is heart-breaking.

I don't know of anything worse than being a parent unable to get to your child when they desperately need you. I try not to think about it too much.

All my love goes out to the people in Kaikoura and Wellington and the surrounding towns affected by the latest quake. My deepest sympathy to the two families who lost their loved ones. And I'm very grateful to have missed that earthquake by 12 hours.

For those wondering, Pegasus is still standing. "Shaken not stirred" their facebook page says. My family are all safe and sound, if somewhat isolated by slips blocking transport to and from the city. I don't know how Loretta's is, I imagine those glass-domed pastries were doomed. The Beehive has massively expensive special shock absorbing foundations for just such as day as the earthquake. If you're that way inclined you can read about them here.

There are on-going problems after a natural disaster. Road closures, transport issues, water pollution, isolation, loss of jobs, income, and that's just the physical issues. If you want to help relieve some of the suffering, you can donate to the Red Cross Appeal. Make sure you click on the Wellington option and then you an choose where you want your money to go.

It may take some time, but I'll return to Wellington, not just for Pegasus Books, but for solidarity. Okay well, it's mostly for Pegasus Books, but solidarity sounds braver.

This weekend The Bloke and I are putting together our emergency survival kit and plan. We take running water, electricity, refrigeration, internet, and phone lines for granted. I've never spent much time thinking about doing without them, but there is nothing like a homegrown disaster to bring the possibility into clear focus and motivate one to action. If you don't have an emergency survival kit, no matter where in the world you are, get one. You'll sleep better at night. I know I will.

Here are a few resources that might be helpful.

New Zealand Civil Defense Get Thru programme

What to have in your emergency kit.

How to maintain your emergency kit.

Grace

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