Windy Wellington - Museums, Wind, and Old Friends,

We took the Interislander Ferry from Picton to Wellington. It was pretty easy. We drove right up to and onto the boat. It was just like driving on a parking deck. After parking, we got out and roamed about the boat, well, the 3rd floor anyway; which had lots of places to sit, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a movie theater, a playground, and a huge outside deck. It was a beautiful day, bright and calm, and riding the ferry was a very pleasant way to spend the three-hour trip. 

our seating area

It was a little bit windy.

After we drove off the boat, we checked into our Airbnb and went to the Botanical Garden in search of a playground. Found it. Then explored all the pretty tree and flower lined paths until we stumbled on the observatory and planetarium. This was a pleasant surprise.

We bought tickets and explored the cool exhibits on gravitational pull, navigation by stars and life in a space shuttle. But in true science/myth New Zealand museum fashion, we got to use a hook to pull the sun closer to Earth like Maui. 

Side note: Wellington is very hilly. It’s also very pretty.

The next day we visited the Te Papa Tongarewa, which is New Zealand’s National Museum. We started in the Natural History area, where we were looking for the largest colossal squid on exhibit. Found it! Then examined other creepy creatures from the deep. 

There was a great exhibit of birds. Another area focused on natural disasters where we could simulate tsunamis and experience an earthquake in a house, which was shockingly realistic. 

We had a coffee/hot chocolate break and then went to the Gallipoli exhibit. 

I didn’t know anything about Gallipoli before this trip. So I was floored by this beautifully done, but devastating, exhibit about New Zealand’s involvement in WWI. Through the stories of eight ordinary New Zealanders, we learned about their role in aiding the allies in attempting to take over an area in Turkey. It lasted 9 months. There was a tremendous loss of life. And ultimately they retreated.  

This story shook me. I kept going through the exhibit waiting for the turn in the battle, when the side telling the story would ultimately win. 

This did not happen. It was deeply sad.

To my recollection, every story, every memorial, or exhibit on war in the US typically ends in victory. The message being that the sacrifice is great, but freedom is greater. I could be wrong about this, but that has been my experience.

However, I came out of this exhibit with a different impression. 

War is devastating, and in many ways meaningless. 

The New Zealanders put a lot of care and attention on this exhibit. There were huge, vividly lifelike statues created by the Weta Workshop folks (more on them later). You could see every hair, every pore in their skin. This level of detail to this devastating event says something to me that my American born and bred heart finds hard to understand.  

But, I respect this story and I won’t forget it. And it sparked quite the conversation about war with our kids.

Learn more about Gallipoli here:

https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/visit/exhibitions/gallipoli-scale-our-war

Afterwards, we needed to get outside and find a playground. 

We found one on the waterfront. We also found a lot of wind and quickly understood the nickname “Windy Wellington.” 

We played. 

Tom lost his hat a few times.

We saw a pole dance. 

Not a pole dancer. 

It was a pole, that swirled, spun, swayed and sprayed water. 

Art.

That same evening we met up with some old friends of ours (Jodi and Matt Caughley) that we knew from our time in Nepal 13 years ago. This was back when we were all young married couples with no kids. Now we are slightly older married couples with six kids between us. 

Jodi met us at Te Papa and we drove to meet Matt and their kids for a picnic at their school. We chatted fast and furious the whole way, talking about things we remember, our observations and questions about New Zealand, followed by laugher and further clarifications. We greeted Matt with the same frenetic joy of a shared past and learning present. 

It was good. So good. I loved every minute. We enjoyed a Christmas picnic at their school where we sat on blankets eating Matt’s Kiwi potato, egg and bacon casserole, which for the record does not contain any kiwi bird or kiwi fruit. Our daughters (Niya and Lucy) instantly bonded and went off to buy “ice blocks.” The kids from the school performed a haka. 

Later we went to the Caughley’s house where Tom and the boys got to try marmite for the first time. This is something everyone should do … once. 

We chatted about gardens and kids and their upcoming 9 month trip to Canada until we noticed it was getting dark and it was still a school night for them. It was time to leave. 

I only wish we had taken the time to get a picture of us all.

So, I will have to use an old one from when we were in Nepal. It’s a photo I’m not even in. Alas!

Post holi celebrating, from March 2011

It was good for us to show our kids that friends stay friends, despite time and distance.