Wellington and Levin

Thursday morning was a casual morning as my departure for the ferry to Wellington was at 10:45 am. I stopped to grab a bite to eat at a bakery near the terminal where there are a multitude of Backpacker accommodations. I had considered one before I found the motor camp. The Backpackers accommodations generally cater to the people hitch hiking, bicycling, or are in tour groups. It is a big business here and you see the backpackers everywhere, some times with huge backpacks on their back and also on their front. It amazes me that some look like they are carrying as much as I have in my Wheelie.

I had to check in the Wheelie at the terminal as it’s considered oversized. I had to take the backpack off and check it in separately. The ferry is a big ship with four or five levels and various places to sit. The seating is fairly luxurious, with big comfortable leather seats and big side windows.

The trip to Wellington is about three and a half hours and was fairly smooth. The ocean was calm, but I could see getting seasick if it was rougher as you could still feel the rocking of the boat.

The passage out of Picton is beautiful because it is deep in the bay and the ferry travels along the along the coast for much of the way until it gets to the open ocean.

Once in Wellington, it’s less that a mile to Irwin’s house as the crow flies but because the railroad tracks block the roads it’s about three miles through the city center and then back. His home is on a hill overlooking, and having a great view, of the city center and harbor.

Wellington reminds me of San Francisco being a harbor town and with the steep streets and hillside homes and businesses. Many homes are older turn of the twentieth century style fairly similar to those in San Francisco.

I had not seen Irwin since he last visited us in the States in 1997. It’s always surprising to see someone you meet when they, and you of course, are young and then see them years later. I first met him when he was nineteen and now he is a middle age man. Wow, how time flies.

Irwin lives in one of those turn of the century homes with his partner Michelle and their two daughters, Eva (11) and Matilda (8). I stayed with them for two days while I tried to figure a way to trek out of Wellington.

During those two days, Friday and Saturday, I had some time to wander around Wellington since everything, the harbor, the city center, train station, is within close walking distance of less than two miles. Wellington is also the capital of New Zealand, and the Parliament Building is less than a mile away.

Walking by Parliament, and even the local police station, there were rifle armed police officers posts in front of the buildings. All since the incident in Christchurch. An officer told me they don’t carry weapons but they now carry them in the trunks of their cars.

I really enjoyed my time in Wellington as it is really a small cosmopolitan town with lots of culture and a diverse ethnic makeup. It seems much different than twenty-nine years ago as there is almost every kinds of food available. The city center was crowded with people. Many of them are probably tourists as they haven’t got it yet that you need to walk to the left like driving. I’ve finally kind of got it?

On Saturday and Sunday there was a CubaDupa Festival, a music and a type of street fair in the city center area. I had gone to an Al Anon meeting in the morning at the south end of town and walked through the Cuba Street area and it was wall to wall people. My fish out of water mentality had kind of dissipated as I was really enjoying it. I think it was because I had a good home base to leave and come back to close by. As much as I love living in the country, living so close to all these activities would be fun.

I had hoped to possibly leave and start trekking Saturday or Sunday, but I had not figured a good way to trek out of Wellington. Highway 1, which is the most direct northerly road, is an expressway out of town and not for pedestrians or bikes. The other questionable routes ran in different directions, but all are very busy traffic routes that would be very dangerous. There were some obscure residential streets that zig zagging through the surrounding hills, but they would eventually lead back to the main highways.

After going over maps and getting advise from many people, I decided that the only safe option I really had was to take a train or bus to an area north of Wellington that was safer and start from there.

Saturday night I walked to the old Cambridge Hotel and got a room so I could get to the bus station early in the morning. It wasn’t the nicest hotel but because the CubaDupa Festival everything was booked. My room was probably the smallest I’ve had on this trek, the size of a large closet. But, it had a sink, and a tv, mounted so high in the ceiling you needed binoculars to watch it.

That night I went to get some dinner and the streets were packed with people, wall to wall. It reminded me of the crowded streets of Amsterdam and had that same festive atmosphere. I rather enjoyed walking around watching the people as it was a mix of Kiwis and some tourists.

Sunday morning I stopped at a funky looking restaurant for breakfast. It looked full, so I assumed it was good, but I couldn’t find a place to sit. A young man, Julian (27), who had closely shaved hair on the side of his head, and long hair tied tied up in a pony tail at the top, asked me sit down at the table with him. Apparently he had seen me with the Wheelie, and being a hiking guide had spotted me. I guess it’s like a dog that can spot another dog a mile away, we had something in common.

I found him very interesting and liked him. He had two weeks off and was planning to go wild hiking and camping in some remote places. His job is guiding hikers to various locations in summer and even in the winter. He showed me photos of some of his extreme hikes in the dead of winter and in stormy conditions. He had a lot of questions about my treks, and gear, etc., and obviously was interested in what I was doing. It seems funny to me, but as adventurous and daring as I find people like him, he found me interesting in my simple trek. I could have stayed and talked with him all day because even though we have somewhat different outdoor pursuits, we have that tie of looking for adventure.

I never really looked at the menu but saw what Julian was eating and just ordered the same and it was a great breakfast.

I had to hurry to catch the bus and went up to pay for my bill. Ok, I know what some of you are already thinking, and yes, it happened. Julian kind of pushed me away and said your money is no good here, and he paid my bill. Of course I sincerely thanked him, and our double good bye handshakes were sincere too as we both wished each other a good adventure.

I stayed much too long talking to Julian and had to race to the train/bus station and only got there ten minutes before the departure. I didn’t have to break down the Wheelie and the driver and I were able to easily get it in the storage compartment. It felt funny finally sitting in a vehicle and traveling a long distance after all that trekking. Looking out the window I could see the many narrow and non-existent shoulders along the very busy congested highway, and it confirmed that I made the right decision in taking the bus.

I got to Levin in the early afternoon and went to the supermarket and bought drinks and food for the start of my trek on Monday morning. I had reserved a cabin at the Levin Kiwi Holiday Park and walked the half mile to check in. Cabins at motor camps have been my first choice now because most have been good and usually I have an idea of what I am getting. With motels it’s more of an unknown and generally not as private. This one was fairly nice and clean, and it actually had a half bath.

This motor camp is a little off the beaten path and there are not the usual tourists or motor homes here. I did meet a young Dutchman, Jan (27), that was the only tent camper here. Interesting that he is trekking the Te Araroa, New Zealand’s Pacific Crest Trail, which runs the length of the two islands. He started at the Bluff and Invercargill and just finished the South Island and now is starting the North Island. He came off of the trail, which is a few miles from here, to get supplies. He’s been on the trail for three months and has given himself another two months to finish. We spoke Dutch and talked about our treks. We are going in the same direction and with similar goals, but different routes. For me it’s always encouraging to hear about someone else and their adventure. He, like me, had planned to start back on Monday.

I had a good day Sunday as I got here early enough to enjoy the cabin and relax. I ended up eating dinner here with some of the things I bought. It was great to lay in bed early and read more of my long book, one that’s been perfect for my trek.

Today, Monday, the weather forecast for was heavy rain, and sure enough about 4:00 in the morning it started to pour and it has continued all day. I obviously decided to stay another day. I am catching up on my blog and laying here in the cozy cabin listening to the pouring rain (buckets), and I am glad I did not start today. Tomorrow the weather forecast is for sunshine and temperatures in the low sixties, perfect weather to start trekking again.

Best wishes to all,

Ted

Please excuse the typos, spelling, grammar, etc., as I am typing this on my phone, and I am probably pretty tired.

The view from a bedroom

Wilson and me