Wellington - Part Five - Freedom Camping

Alright. I’m taking this opportunity in the fifth and final installment of our (S)Wellington Extravaganza! to talk about something near and dear to my heart – Freedom Camping. Freedom Camping is the subtle art of living in a van, camper, hollowed out VW Bug, what have you, allowing travelers to enjoy a country for much longer than they could if forced to pay for conventional accommodation like hostels, campsites, or hotels. The average price of a single bed in a Wellington is $26 – not ridiculous, but the cost for Care and I to stay for 7 days would have quickly mounted to $364 for the week, without including the savage parking fees our van would have incurred (some streets charge $6 per/hr Mon – Fri 8 am – 6 pm). For just five weekdays of parking we might have had to pay $200. Not on my watch. Instead we drove 3 km outside of downtown to a lovely parking lot situated on Oriental Parade – a major street leading to the waterfront/museum district of downtown. When we pulled up we saw a half dozen other freedom campers in their garishly painted campervans all cooking, sitting out in the sun, or going for a quick swim at the adjacent sandy beach. Score. The parking lot is one of several hugging the western side of the bay, and acts as a fishing area during the daytime hours. At night, freedom campers descend on the lot which also provides a bathroom to wash up, clean dishes, and…you know…use the bathroom. Freedom camping in New Zealand is a strange tradition. It’s not illegal which is cool, but it is becoming more and more restricted in certain parts of the country. I get that some communities don’t want travelers squatting their neighborhoods, but the best and most surprising part about Wellington was that they had set aside these areas for travelers. We were never hassled about staying there, we never felt unsafe, and we had access to awesome beach front views, swimming, and amenities just a thirty minute walk into downtown Wellington. It’s funny, the city was hosting a 15 km “Fun Run” that used Oriental Parade as the route, and at 7 a.m. a race official actually came around knocking on windows informing each camper that the road would be closed for the next four hours if we needed to leave before we got trapped. It wasn’t done maliciously or with the intent to roust us from our perch. It was an actual courtesy. Care and I decided to stay and watch the race. Carolyn and I enjoyed one of our best weeks in New Zealand in Wellington, and while it was in large part due to Rich and Merridith, the great museums, cafés, and nightlife of Wellington itself, I’m not sure how much of any of that we would have been able to enjoy if we were paying over $500 to stay for one week. Freedom camping, while controversial and a negative side effect of travel to some, was the thing that really opened up doors for us in Wellington. Without it, we wouldn’t have loved Windy Welly enough to write this five part extravaganza. So, thank you Wellington. Thank you for realizing that just because some travelers don’t have a lot of money it doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy your city. Wellington is Swellington.

Wellington - Part Three - Downtown

Part Three of our (S)Wellington Extravaganza! continues with a more in depth look at downtown and all the rad stuff to do there. Aside from our awesome time with Rich and Merridith, Care and I settled in to enjoy the other pleasures of Wellington – namely the cafés. Wellington houses more cafés per capita than any major city in the world – even Seattle – which makes perfect sense after a few days huddled around a warm cappuccino. The wind that kicks off the bay can be brutal, and is a major reason for the plethora of chain and independent java vendors. Our favorite spot in Windy Welly was a little place called “Café Mon Ami.” This little gem on Bond St., near the waterfront, the main shopping on Courtenay Street, and a stone’s throw from the museums and culture of the library and civic block was a real find. Cheap coffees and tasty croissants are just the start of this restaurant come kitsch café. They not only have excellent wi-fi service free for their patrons, but the owner/manager Francois (yes he’s actually French) runs a free bike rental service. That’s right – you give him your ID and he gives you his bike. When you’re done, come back and your ID is returned – no charge. It’s a mindset like this, as well as the comfy chairs, that sets Mon Ami apart from the slew of competition in the area, but if you’re a Francophobe, other joints like Goblin Café, and even *gasp* Starbucks are available on every corner. Literally. Care and I also enjoyed the infamous “Beehive” Parliament building on the northern edge of the waterfront. This monument to 1970’s atrocity is an eyesore/icon that somehow escapes a lot of tourists’ notice. It could be the location – way north - or the obscurity of the governmental system in New Zealand – technically a “Constitutional Monarchy" ruled by Queen Elizabeth II (not the Prime Minister, much like Canada), but I’d have to say it’s at least partly to do with the building itself. I’m no architect (although I helped build our sweet van), but the 1970’s idea of the future is pretty ridiculous. Care and I also lucked into the Chinese New Year celebration along the waterfront – a popular Wellington destination for festivals and concerts – like Homegrown (another concert we happened to hear during our stay). Downtown and the surrounds are a tightly woven mix of museums, cafés, open spaces, and places to relax and enjoy the vibe. Care and I liked it so much we even wrote this little song about it. Enjoy.

Destination Guide: Wellington, New Zealand by Shawn Forno Wellington is so much more than just the capitol of New Zealand and second largest city in the North Island. It’s a center for culture with world class museums like Te Papa – a completely free six story mecca of natural history, cultural collections, visiting world class exhibits...read more

Wellington - Part One

We finally made it to Wellington! Home to Parliament, the Te Papa Museum, diverse culture, the ferry to the South Island, surf, sand, nightlife, friends, and more cafés per capita than any major city in the world, “Swellington” is just too much to write about in one post. So we’ve split this amazing metropolis into a Five Part (S)Wellington Extravaganza! Part One – Thank You Note. My mom always taught me to write thank you notes right away before you forget, so here goes – Thank you thank you so much to Rich and Merridith, and to Joan for setting us up with them. You guys were amazing tour guides and cultural ambassadors for Kiwis – never mind that Merridith is from Maryland. These two rock stars not only drove us around the cool parts of town, they made us feel like we were part of a “group” – a hard feeling to get on the road. The first stop was the beautiful rugged west side of the bay where we enjoyed even more tide pool exploration, hiked a bit, snagged some epic views, and talked about travel blogging – check out their award winning travel blog to see how the pros do it. If that wasn’t enough, they took us out to dinner and introduced Care and I to the deliciously weird Taiwanese treat – bubble tea. Even Care liked it, so that’s saying something. Just when we thought we’d worn out our welcome, the fun continued. Rich was all, “Oh hey guys, you wanna go check out my family’s rad bach?” (NZ for “beach house”). We tried to play it cool, so I was all, “Pssht, I guess. I mean we have a few minutes to kill...” And Care was like, “Whatevs, yo.” It was AWESOME. We surf kayaked (insanely fun/hard) and then got the best fresh fruit ice cream in “sunny Otaki” on the Kapiti Coast – home to the most expensive ice cream in New Zealand...per capita. Later that night they drove us up to see the view from Mt. Victoria at night. The twinkling lights that hug the bay are lovely. The hits kept coming when we went to a small group session for their church, ARISE, and got to take part in a fun evening with Kiwis in an apartment above busy Courtenay Street. It was so welcoming to interact like a local. Finally, we went to the Sunday night service of ARISE and got to see an active, young church in New Zealand – a real treat for us. The people in the congregation were wonderful, and we enjoyed a great afterglow dinner with some of them at a café. Despite all the radness, the best part of our new homies was that we finally had someone to use all of our free text messages with. We got 100 free txts within NZ when we loaded up our phone, so we blitzed them with nonsense txts. “hey bff! wut r u up 2 now guyzzzzzz? LOL! ttyl, xoxo.” Sorry yo. Rich and Merridith are stalwart travelers with huge hearts and a real sense for what it means to be away from home. The craziest thing about their selfless generosity is that they had just gotten back from their 9-month trip around the world, the day before we called them. Who has the energy to do all that for two people they’d never met, right when they got back? Rock stars – that’s who. It was the best way to experience Wellington, and Care and I will always see the city through Rich and Merridith colored glasses. That doesn’t sound quite right, but you get the idea. Thanks a million guys. Hope to see you again soon.

Destination Guide: Courtenay Street, Wellington, NZ by Shawn Forno The best food, fun, nightlife, and culture of Wellington is found on Courtenay Street. This funky locale just off Manners Mall at the south end of the civic center houses a pedestrian thoroughfare where tourists and locals alike meander past dozens of designer shops...read more

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Wellington - Part Two - Te Papa Museum

Next stop on our (S)Wellington Extravaganza!...the standout attraction in Wellington is their world class museum – Te Papa. Loosely translated as “our place”, Te Papa is a beacon of art, culture, history, and sophistication that attracts over 1 million visitors each year. Six stories and an external “Bush City” display art, natural history, and interactive exhibits intertwined amidst an ever changing tapestry of visiting shows from around the world. They even have these sweet shiny mirror thing-a-ma-jigs outside. Admission is free (suggested donation, but really who are we kidding) to all but the special collection galleries like “A Day in Pompeii” and other limited engagements, and it includes access to some mind blowing sights. Most notably, the Colossal Squid on display in the natural history section on the first floor. This specimen, encased in glass and formaldehyde, and stretched out for viewing is eerily like the alien autopsy scene in Independence Day. The total length of the squid is 4.2 meters, and the eyeballs are the size of soccer balls. Care and I spent a pretty large chunk of time in the natural history section – mostly because I’m a huge nerd – but the “Reactive Architecture” exhibit was another one that caught our attention. This green architectural think tank showcases new ways that energy is thought about in several different designs, ranging from simple umbrella photic displays to full fledged floating “barge” cities. For other examples of green architecture, check out “Building Green on Montrose”, an innovative, eco-friendly renovation of a 100-year old rowhouse in Philadelphia. We spent hours in the museum, pointing things out to each other, watching captivating movies and reenactments, taking 1840's immigration surveys, gawking at fossils, and enjoying ourselves while we soaked up New Zealand culture, art, and history. Te Papa became “our place” by the end of the day, and this amazing collection is something that every visitor to Wellington needs to make part of their trip. And don’t forget to take at least 500 pictures in front of the shiny mirror thing-a-ma-jigs out front. Yeah, in your face, Chicago Bean. New Zealand has reflectve surfaces too.
"Seen It" - a comic by Shawn Forno
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Wellington - Part Four - Cable Car & Gardens

Now that we’re on the downward slope of our Five Day (S)Wellington Extravaganza! I thought we’d travel uphill to enjoy the view. Wellington’s hip vibe and artsy culture are widely celebrated by tourists and locals alike – and rightly so, it’s a cool place. However, it’s easy to forget the history and pockets of tranquility that exist in this little metropolis by the sea. Two of my favorites are the Cable Car and the Botanical Gardens. The trip to the Gardens starts with the classic cable car. Situated on Lambton Quay, this centrally located treasure is a testament to the city's efforts to preserve this quaint attraction. Honestly, when Care and I bought our $2 tickets, I thought there was a mistake. I was expecting a higher price for this sweet ride up to a great view of the city, so we boarded the shiny red cable car with a weird sense of... foreboding. Within 30 seconds – literally 30 seconds – the car made its first stop. I could still see the details of our initial destination as commuters from the first stop boarded. Why would they put the stops so close together? I wondered. Oh, well. 40 seconds later we stopped again. What? More people got on and off, and the car filled up to standing room only. School kids jostled with businessmen as we all took our short slanty ride up the steep hill past Victoria University to the next stop. Wait…is this the last stop? I thought as everyone disembarked. Yup. Last stop. Three stops in under three minutes and we were at the end of the line – the top of the hill overlooking the city. If Care hadn’t had the camera ready when we got on we might have missed it all. I will say that while the ride wasn’t a San Francisco style tour of the town, it was something much more rare - a functioning mode of transport for students and commuters, that has managed to last over 100 years. At the top of the rise, views of the water and city below spread out in all directions as far as Lower Hutt on the eastern edge of the bay. We lucked out and got a clear, sunny, hot day. The area up here features a small restaurant, benches, and the start of the Botanical Gardens, as well as two astronomical observatories. I love the observation domes with their classic antique look. After a well deserved nap on a grassy slope (we have a hard life), Care and I headed down the “Rose Garden Path” enjoying flowers, trees, and plants of all sorts. Prehistoric ferns stand next to conifer trees, and dazzling lilies. I used to be a flower delivery boy in college, so I like plants. What up. Near the end of the hour long trek we came upon one of the highlights – the Lady Norwood Rose Garden. This sprawling flower garden quartered into areas depicting hybrid and pure bred roses of varying shades that march across the full spectrum of colors, and it was a relaxing break from our relaxing hike. We sat at the fountain and just…smelled stuff for a while. The path eventually leads back into downtown (near the Beehive) but not before taking pedestrians through several cemeteries dating back to the colonial settlements of the city. Some of the gravestones are worn smooth by rain, wind, neglect, and time, while others are overgrown by wild bush and ivy. A few crypts feature elaborate obelisks and well polished marble, while most are simple granite slabs with name and date. The cemeteries are a stark reminder – as always – that time is short. Without being too cliche, it was a somber end to a peaceful day, and I’m glad we had a few hours to ourselves to revel in the beauty, history, and past of Wellington before we plunged back into the bustle of city life. P.S. I don’t care what you say – I think flowers rule, and Carolyn likes that about me, don’t you Care. Care?
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