Wishy Washy Wellington. (Wellington (New Zealand))

Member Name: MGirl

Product:	Wellington (New Zealand)
Date:	04/08/02 (56 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Plimmerton! (Just outside Wellington.), Cable Car

Disadvantages: Featureless Sprawl, Wet and windy (especially in winter)

There’s nothing really wrong with Wellington as such but it’s not really a place I warmed to. The first day we were there, we went up on the Cable Car, we had breakfast out, we looked around and, it’s just lacking something. I think we pinned it down to the lack of landmarks in the end. From the top of the cable car, Wellington is simply a featureless sprawl. Sydney has the harbours, the opera house, the bridge, Auckland has the Skytower, some less impressive harbours and a less impressive bridge, but hey, they’re landmarks. Wellington just seems to have, well, buildings and not particularly special ones at that.

This moves onto accommodation. I know this isn’t the hotel section but we stayed in a hostel in Wellington centre and it was awful. Noisy (no official quiet time) and cold (1 blanket each only). The next day, we packed our bags, upped sticks and headed for Plimmerton on the train (a village which acts as a commuter suburb) to the nicest hostel I have ever had the pleasure to stay in. It’s called Moana Lodge and it is paradise. Double rooms-a-plenty, cheap prices, a weekly group cooking session, a dishwasher, a proper dining room, in a well heated beautiful wooden house with resident friendly cat. What’s more, this is all on the beach, which would have been fabulous had it not been for the wet and windy Wellington weather.

You can use Plimmerton as a base to travel into Wellington for the (limited) sights or just go for some peace and quiet. During winter months, they also organise some tree planting on one of the islands offshore so you can even do your bit for the environment.

Don’t forget to drink a bottle of wine, save the cork and write a message on it. If you look, you might find mine, if you knew who I was…

So all in all, the points system is apportioned as follows, 1 for Wellington, 5 for Plimmerton – average of 3.

Summary: