The coolest little capital of the world

That’s the thing about this city, the encircling hills, gives our coolest little capital a compact feeling, where one can commute from suburb to Central Business District just past the hour, to be present at that meeting, luncheon, or sports affair; it is not too big and not too small.

 It is big when you come from a country town and for the first time you are in a city environment. But when you come from another a larger city there is this sense of it being little. Yet this is the city’s gem, the close proximity of everything both indoor and outdoor activities are easily accessible.

 We have what is called the ‘golden mile’ retail on Lambton Quay, the cable car ride to botanical garden, the zoo for animals not found in this country. Its harbour is popular for international cruise ships, local ferries and boats of many a kind. Cafes and restaurants, parliament tours, hotels – all the stars, are scattered throughout the compact streets. An international airport, rail excursions, and Cook Strait ferries link us with other cities and towns. Once you’re localised the variety of sports, golf links, and boating activities will beckon your call. And when you wish to relax there is a choice of cinemas old and new, a cathedral for church, with theatres for drama.

Parks with walk trails and cycle ways rounding the coastal beaches are not too far from residential landscapes to offer an impromptu getaway for the energetic and a leisurely stroll for family. There are water ski havens, rock pools for fishing, penguin colonies, and nearby Te Papa (our national museum) to capture our earlier days. For the academia there are learning centres based around our university, libraries, museums, hospitals, and various training centres for trades and professions. When done, you can kick back do some local brew tasting, restaurant culinary exploring, before or after the opera!

That’s the thing about this city, small is beautiful like our country. The world’s larger geographical cities, (even our Auckland) offer excitement and the challenge of getting from A to B, but here it is simple and easy to navigate. You can commute from office block to holiday bach or country town in a few hours.  Get out of the city, return within a weekend, or a few days more, having enjoyed a different world, so to speak. Get a ferry crossing to Picton for the day or continue south to Kaikoura for whale watching; seek out a Maori New Year (Matariki); cosy up in a geothermal hot spring near Taupo/Rotorua; book a local wine vine tour and do a coastal walk for scenery and salt air! 

In winter, there is the usual ‘dip’ in the temperature from an autumn (fall) to spring; 10^oC down to 6^oC. July can be the coldest month, a bit chilly around the ears especially when a southerly blast decides to visit town. As for snow, that would be rare, in fact if you like snow sports you’d grab your skis and snowboards, book a chalet near Mount Ruapehu, and get out of here.

As for summer the daily average temperature can be between 17^oC to 21^oC and we are known to surprise with a 25^oC but you’d need to be here at the start of the year, (February) to be fair. Daylight savings extends the summer warmth by one hour, for strolls in shorts and swims in togs at the beach; doesn’t appeal? Then indoor pools, are plenty to be found. Daylight savings is not favoured by all, but it does allow for much family fun before bed time stories. And activities after work; cinema with food, twilight golf, and beautiful sunsets at Oriental Bay or Makara Beach for the camera steady visitor. Check out historic Matiu/Somes Island in the middle of the harbour, get there by local ferry, then organise dining on a boat if that has an appeal. Do a bit of snorkelling for kina, crays, paua, and mussel, if you’re not too fussy.

That’s the thing about this city, if there is the need to fly the ‘ditch’, that is go to Australia. You’d arise at your normal waking hour, do your start of day routine, be out your door and be knocking at your Aussie mates, just as they start their new day. Have your fun, do your business, visit a rally (Some left our shores for the larger piece of land; but they’re still our cuzzy bro’s) and return in time for a latish dinner. It is acknowledged everything for business may not be here, but what we do have is nearby, no need to organise travel, just call a cab or chauffeur.

The city itself is narrow and modern with all life’s business needs - advertising, insurance, banking, accounts, finance, legal, retail, employment, construction, learning, archives, property, engineers, food, car repair, politicians and more. All have their business name emblazoned on their door. Further out, not quite a shout, there is film production, techy graphics, storage, science, contractors, marine, aviation, and when you’re done and you need that last bit of information it’s to the wider region you need to go. These are our neighbourly cities who wish to be independent yet they know it’s to the capital most citizens flow each day, and so we can call on them to help our city grow.

That’s the thing about this city, it offers curvy roads up the hills with houses perched to their sides. Speaking of hills, we have one in the city called Mount Victoria, there you get a panoramic view of the wider hills and Hutt Valley, where more attraction can be found. Take a glance at the city’s  down town hip bar scene, shimmering harbour, hills of scenery where hidden from view are the many houses with roads which lead to the capital of our country.

Our city is not snow bound or in the pathway of a whirlwind but you need to learn how to brace yourself for an earth quake because there a fault line through the centre, but so does the whole of the country.  Sometimes the wind can be strong hence the city’s nickname ‘Windy Welly’ and we do have the cleanest air due to the fact our geographical location is on the edge of an island!

So, the coolest little capital, is so cool you’d need to come and check it out for yourself, because it is difficult to mention everything that creates its unique identity. And you are an unknown quantity, but I am sure there is a place for conventional and eccentric personalities, in the coolest little capital of the world! – Wellington, New Zealand.

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