The most beautiful city in the world

Wellington is an awesome city. For a capital it is very small and its location – surrounded by the sea – gives the city a nice romantic flair. In February when I stayed in Wellington for two days I made all touristy stuff, went to Oriental Bay, the Botanic Gardens, the Parliament Building which because it looks like one is better known as the ‘Bee-Hive’, and, of course, the incredible Te Papa Museum. Yesterday I saw a completely different side of Wellington which made me love this city even more. Twenty minutes drive out of the Civic Centre is Island Bay with a cute walkway along the sea to the ‘Red Rocks’, a formation of – as the name says – red rocks. Joanna took me to that place and told me that a surprise would wait for me. I already loved the place without the surprise but then I saw it: between all those rocks only meters away from us were loads of fur seals. Most of them were just lying around, enjoying the warm weather, and I could hardly believe that they would be able to attack people. However, when they looked into my eyes while I was walking towards them they scared me a lot. The ‘beach’ was full of seals, there were hundreds of them, and I just enjoyed sitting on a rock and watching them. A baby seal tried to rob from one rock to the other but it was too small and was stuck between both rocks, unable to go back. The scene was so cute.

I think that my English has improved a lot since I came to New Zealand. However, I still struggle a little with the pronunciation of some words. Walking back from the ‘Red Rocks’ we Jo and I discussed our (very different) tastes in films. When I said “I love ‘The English Patient’” a woman walking next to us begins laughing loudly and – realising that – asked me (still laughing) “you laughed at ‘The English Patient’?”. That’s kiwi directness, and now I know that I don’t only have to work on my ‘r’ as in ‘really’ but also on my ‘v’ as in ‘love’. Anyway I laughed (not loved) with the woman about the situation – always keep your humour

I had an awesome day with Joanna in Island Bay, and the day should continue being very funny. At night I was drinking with my roommates from the UK. I can’t believe how – after having drunk half a litre of vodka the precious night – Francis from London could drink another half a litre that night (after apologizing to his behaviour last night where he pretended to be a car and chased cars down the street which actually was pretty funny). Anyway the whole 12-bed-dorm was drinking and having loads of fun until Simon from Brussels got the idea to climb up the half-finished building next to the hostel. The building was perhaps 50 meters high and we were not at all sober, but the chance to see Wellington at night from so high was one we couldn’t resist. So we climbed up, not without walking through the building which contained at least hundred baths and bathrooms, until we were standing on the roof which seemed to be one of the highest of the entire city. Wellington is also known as the ‘city of winds’, and the wind seemed to blow us down the roof. It was a perfect last night of my little holidays and in Wellington, the most amazing capital I’ve ever been to. And just when I thought this amazing day could be called finished I met a German girl who – without that I would have asked for it – told me that she was “dancing, well … stripping” in ‘The Mermaid’, a strip club Joanna jokingly recommended to me the other day. Looking at the girl who had nothing attractive at her (I probably would have paid her to let her clothes on) I couldn’t stop myself from laughing anymore.

After one of the craziest days of my life and a very short night I met Joanna and her flatmate Jules for breakfast and to walk through Wellington a last time. At Wellington’s beautiful waterfront we talked about old primary and high school times and enjoyed Wellington’s unique flair. Then it was for me to say good-bye to her and Wellington but I’m optimistic to see both again very soon – Jo in Germany and Wellington … well, probably in Wellington. That was the end of my ‘study break’, tomorrow morning I will have to study the history of New Zealand Cinema to be at least a little prepared for my exam at 2.20pm. And although I definitely miss Wellington I am glad to be back in Albany in an hour – with cookies from New Zealand’s best ‘cookie cook’ for my neighbour Sam.

Tags: climbing, flair, Island Bay, Joanna, language, Red Rocks, seals, Wellington