First day away

Saturday, April 25, 2015
Wellington, North Island, New Zealand
  An early start saw us leaving Sydney at 9.30 this morning and somehow misplacing a couple of hours as we flew across to Wellington. I need all the hours I can get so I'm going to look for them on my way home. 
    Picked up our rental car, tried to drive through the cab only boom gate on the way out but with the aid of the friendly lady who lives in the satnav found our lodgings overlooking the bay . First impressions? Very reminiscent of Launceston. Old weatherboard houses perched on the hills around the bay, set on narrow winding streets leading down to the modern city centre. And upon opening our balcony door the reason this place is nicknamed "Windy Wellington" is all too apparent. The wind apparently is channeled through the straits between the two islands and as far as we can tell, is directed at the Copthorne Appartments room 1026. I have read somewhere that the city itself is slowly changing as a result of the winds and that the 15 storey Stokes building was once the 16 storey Stokes building. One morning in the late 90's, top floor office staff came into work and found the evevator stopped at the now 15th floor sundeck. Apparently finally giving in to the winds around here, the top floor blew off and was found three days later by some bush walkers out near Wellington airport. Or so I read. 
    Nothing much more to report, we found ourselves in a Main Street bar in the late afternoon before dinner for a spot of people watching and a chance to soak up the local atmosphere. Of which, I have to say there is not a lot. I reckon it's either because it is so similar to Australia to not notice a difference or it was here but is now out somewhere in the Tasman Sea, having been blown there a few years ago. Speak to you tomorrow ..

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