Day Thirteen - Wellington and a social engagement

Once again, a beautiful start to the morning.  I really should always have blue sky mornings in my life.  Surely by now I have earned it!  Blog posted, emails checked (always loads in the morning as the UK has been awake over night) and toast and coffee it was time to get out in the sunshine and soak up those rays whilst I still can.  The time is going OK to be honest and I feel that I have been here ages, which is good.

Midnight Espresso

We caught the bus (as usual) into the city and had decided to go back to the little shop we had visited the other day to see if the hats we both liked were there.  It really was quite strange as for the life of us we could not find the shop.  I thought I was having one of those moments.  Up and down Cuba Street we walked when finally, we found it.  I ask you, no hope for both of us.  However, it was shut.  We decided to go to the little cafe opposite where the had gone the other day.  It is called Midnight Espresso - I love it here.  Most of the food is vegan or vegetarian, the coffee is good and cheap and cheap even for Wellington.  The staff are interesting and mind kind of people and the whole place has such a good feel.  Definitely my kind of place.  By the time we had drunk our coffee and tea (oh and scone and muffin!), the shop across the road was open.  The woman who runs it is wonderful.  If I lived here I would call into Midnight Espresso, get my coffee and go and chat with her for ages.  She is from New Zealand but wanted to know about London. We ended up, as you do, talking about how your hair changes when you get old and how thin it gets and then starts to fall out - so great being a woman no matter where you are.  I told her about a new shampoo I was using and said that I would ask Jackie to take the remainder of it in for her when I have left so she can give it a try!  Eventually, Jackie purchased her lovely summer hat which is like a 1930's model, it is so lovely and absolutely ideal for a sunny day; mine is a plum colour taffeta (more like nylon) edition which may just be ok for a forthcoming wedding, providing I can find a dress to match.

We said our goodbyes, Jackie in her hat, and made our way down to Te Papa which is the national museum.  It is such a lovely building and down by the

water front.  We had a look around the ground floor first of all but there was a preserved giant squid there, then I started to get my fears about stingrays so we decided to leave.  I then went to see a display about earthquakes.  I have to say, I am still disappointed that I have not experienced one yet!  At the museum you can go into a house (well it is like a shed but then a lot of the houses here look like sheds) and they show you a film of previous earthquakes and then give the hands on experience of what it feels like as the house starts to shake. It was OK however it takes away what must be the terrifying, what is going to really happen fear that you must experience when there is an earthquake. But a good experience.

We then went into the Gallipoli exhibition which was absolutely amazing.  It has been created with Weta Workshops who did The Lord of the Rings stuff and it

was so moving. It takes you through the story of the Gallipoli campaign in World War One through the eyes and words of New Zealanders who found themselves in that awful situation.  It was so moving and the huge figures of the real people where so good.  Both Jackie and I felt quite moved by it as it really portrayed how awful the whole thing must have been.  Just a terrible waste of life.

I really do hope that this award winning exhibition eventually finds its way to the IWM (Imperial War Museum) as I would like to see it again, even though I found it very moving.

We really could have done with a drink by the end of this, but went for a coffee instead and sat by some interesting urban art.  I cannot tell you how lovely it is to be sitting outside, in November, drinking coffee in the sunshine.  Talk about lift your spirits.

We started to make our way back to the bus as tonight we were out.  Jackie's partner works for the Papua New Guinea High Commission and tonight was their Christmas Party.  It was held at one of Wellington's Hotels and I had such a

Urban Art at the Museum 

lovely evening. I did have to smile as the High Commission, his wife and deputy turned up an hour late and I did think to myself this is just like working with people from Africa who seem to have a completely different time than the rest of us.  I was so hungry by then and so was Jackie.  But all that aside, the company and food was so lovely.  It was a buffet style meal which was ideal as some of the staff had brought their children along with them. I had a lovely starter of sushi, seafood and salad followed by cooked at the time, pasta then a little bit of Christmas log and a pavlova.  I was talking to the Deputy Ambassador and his colleague about cricket as the Ashes were on the TV and telling them how I have to attend meetings held at the Oval and I have no idea who these cricketers are.  I had them in fits of laughter (as I tend to do). It was a great evening and I thanked them all for inviting me along and also invited them all over to London next Christmas. So funny.

Back home and I was full, tired and needed my bed; a bit like the children who had come along for the meal.  It has been yet another lovely day.

As always, with my love x