Hi everyone…
Kia Ora!
It feels like it’s been ages since my last post in Connect.
My family and I have been moving to New Zealand or Aotearoa, the land of the long, white cloud, since the end of November 2021. Coming from Jakarta, Indonesia, the city where we spent the last three years in a whole new setting and adjustments thanks to COVID-19, moving to another country every 3-4 years is part of my routine due to my job.
So, long story short, with all the strict health protocol along the way and upon arrival, we finally touched down in Wellington, the capital city, on December 3rd, 2021. Surely after a complete 10-day isolation,- 7 days in Christchurch and 3 days in Wellington, we finally resided here.
And what a beautiful city Wellington is!
We are indeed lucky that it does not take long for us to look for rented house and less than a month, we were official living in Karori. Known as one of the suburbs in Wellington with fantastic sunset and sunrise (yes, you can be that lucky to enjoy both!) and ‘angels’ dwellings’ as the hills here are dotted with cute, colourful houses, we are so excited to explore this lovely city and country.
Now, allow me to share a few beautiful spots in Wellington we managed to see in our first three months.
Exploring the Waterfront
Before moving to our rent, we stayed in one of the hotels in the city center. In walking distance, you can definitely enjoy the waterfront area, which became one of our favorite spots in the city. Stretching out the posh and famous area near the bay from Queen’s Wharf to the celebrated Oriental Bay, here you can enjoy the view of Wellington Harbour or Te Awa Whanga o Pōneke in Maori, the colourful boatsheds, world-class museums like Te Papa, and delectable eateries. As we walked along the area in our first days , we do stop by here and there to take pictures or selfies with various sculptures and statues, including the famous Solace the Wind.
Trying the Cable Car
It was said that your visit to (or stay in) Wellington will not be complete without trying this legendary red cable car. Wellington Cable Car is indeed a city proud and probably one of the photos that has been used so frequently to introduce the city of Wellington.
Running from the city center of Lambton Quay to Kelburn,- which happens to be the area where my new office is located, the cable car has long captivated people’s heart and become people’s favorite, including the visitors and the tourists . Besides its unique and brilliant color, the Cable car is a handy mode of transport to those living or working around the area. I have tried riding the car and I have to say I really enjoy it!
For now, Wellington is not yet packed with tourists as the country is still limiting the movement of the people on its borders. But once things are starting to come back to normalcy and the borders are opening up, I guess we will see the lining up to take this cable car again.
Enjoying the sunset in my neighborhood
Staying in Karori is probably one of the best decisions we made here in our early days in Wellington.
Not far from our house, we have the Skyline Walkway trail that give us this wonderful trekking and incredible sunset. Whenever we can, we go out and explore this pathway.
Climbing up to the higher spot in the area will always give you the vantage point. And the best time to enjoy the endless beauty of this God’s given earth is when the sun is setting. I will certainly get back to you with more details on some trips and photos I took around here.
Meanwhile, from my balcony, I can enjoy an amazing sunrise every day when the weather ,- and the Almighty, permits. And I am blessed!
So, that’s a little story I have for now.
I know by heart I will have more to share and as a local guide, moving to a new place make me so excited to explore more and more. So, see you on the next post!
I’m happy that you get to enjoy such beautiful sunrise views from your balcony because it means we might get to see more of those, too, haha.
