Day Tripping

Paul and I have recently discovered that the day trip is an amazing and inexpensive way to travel. You don't have to pay for accomodation, no need to book anything in advance, and if you get too hungry you can always turn around and head home. In the past month or so, we have made it our aim to do one or two day trips per week. It has been a very relaxing and yet adventurous way to tour the Wellington Region. There is so much to see here, and it has been really fun trying to do it all!

We went to the Beach in Eastbourne, which is at the other side of the Wellington Harbour. It was a quick and easy drive, and proved to be a great walk with beautiful sights. For me, the most exciting part was seeing sheep! Yes, we have finally captured some good old New Zealand sheep on camera! Here's a few pictures of a momma and a lamb.



I was so excited the see the sheep, that I scrambled up the side of the mountain about 8 feet, and found that the pair were only a few feet away from me. However, I scared them off and had to return to the bottom to get a cute pic. I've always been a bit of an animal nut, so it was very funny discovering how excited I was about the whole thing :)

Here are a few pictures of the bay in Eastbourned, it was really pretty. We are finding that many of the bays around the Wellington region look fairly similar, but they are still breathtaking each time we discover a new one!



So that was our day in Eastbourne. This past weekend we decided to travel out a little further away from Wellington to see what else there is to experience. We took the train to Porirua, which only took about 20 minutes. There, we went to a huge shopping centre that had both indoor and outdoor shops. Though I enjoy my shopping, I was hoping to see some natural scenery, not just the inside of a shopping mall. So, we took the bus to Titahi Bay, and had a picnic overlooking the beach. This place is gorgeous! Here, see for yourself.



As you can see, most of the really scenic places in and around wellington involve views of the waterfront. This is simply because of the fact that Wellington is situated on three major waterways, the Pacific Ocean, the Cook Strait and the Wellington Harbour. You simply can't escape it, not that you would want to...it is really nice being so close to the water.

Well, travel is definately going to be a part of our time here, and we're trying to find the cheapest ways to see and do the most. Next week we have planned a trip to Rotorua. This area is most well known for its geothermal activity. Which, in English, means that it is full of natural hot springs, sulfuric lakes, volcanic rock and other really interesting natural sights. We definately can't afford accomodation for a few nights, so we will either stay in a hostel, or we will sleep in the car. Either way, it will be really fun and more adventurous than sleeping in some hotel. I can't wait to let you know how it all goes!

Bye for now,
Yo