Day 2 - Thursday 26 April - Mount Victoria and Cable Car

Took ages to get to sleep last night. Didn't help that the pillow was way too big and the bed a bit soft. Temperature at least was controllable with the doona cover not being sealed so could push the blankets back.

Woke up at relatively normal time, even though actually two hours early. Got up after a while and got ready then paced while waiting for Stu to get up heh.

Headed out for breakfast. Ended up at Fidel's cafe with a bit of a Cuban theme. I had eggs benedict which wasn't too bad and Stu had waffles with bacon and banana.

Then started walking.

The famous bucket fountain in Cuba Street
The famous bucket fountain in Cuba Street

We headed for Mount Victoria. While we were on Courtenay Place I saw a bus stop that said route 20 - Mount Victoria. So we looked up a timetable and one was due in a few minutes. So instead of walking to the top we took a bus :)

The view at the top was spectacular. We had such an amazing day for it. Stayed there for a while and watched a bunch of planes take off and land.

View of Wellington from Mount Victoria
View of Wellington from Mount Victoria

View of Wellington from Mount Victoria
View of Wellington from Mount Victoria

The sweetie and I at Mount Victoria on our anniversary
The sweetie and I at Mount Victoria on our anniversary

Wellington Airport from Mount Victoria
Wellington Airport from Mount Victoria

Wellington Railway Station from Mount Victoria
Wellington Railway Station from Mount Victoria

View of Wellington from Mount Victoria
View of Wellington from Mount Victoria

Walked up to the other lookout a little ways north, but its view wasn't as good.

Wellington from the northern lookout
Wellington from the northern lookout

Then started walking down. It was a bit steep in places, and very pretty in others.

Wellington Airport through the trees from a point just below the main lookout
Wellington Airport through the trees from a point just below the main lookout

We enjoyed the pretty walk through the trees on the Southern Walkway on Mount Victoria
We enjoyed the pretty walk through the trees on the Southern Walkway on Mount Victoria

Stu on the Southern Walkway on Mount Victoria
Stu on the Southern Walkway on Mount Victoria

Spectacular house at 34 Lookout Road, Roseneath, Wellington
Spectacular house at 34 Lookout Road, Roseneath, Wellington

Lower part of the Southern Walkway, just north of Palliser Road
Lower part of the Southern Walkway, just north of Palliser Road

Pretty flower on the Southern Walkway
Pretty flower on the Southern Walkway

Took quite a while all up, but eventually ended up down at the waterfront.

Oriental Bay
Oriental Bay

Oriental Bay
Oriental Bay

Meandered back towards the city.

The Tail of the Whale sculpture by Colin Webster-Watson
The Tail of the Whale sculpture by Colin Webster-Watson

Passed a boat that had been converted into a restaurant and I said maybe we could have dinner there. Stu said we could have lunch. So we did! Got cheesy loaded fries, and salt and pepper squid. Yum.

Boat Cafe
Boat Cafe

Enjoying a refreshing beverage in the Boat Cafe
Enjoying a refreshing beverage in the Boat Cafe

Our anniversary lunch - loaded fries with cheese, bacon, fresh herb gravy, and salt and pepper squid
Our anniversary lunch - loaded fries with cheese, bacon, fresh herb gravy, and salt and pepper squid

Then kept on walking kept on walking.

Stu in front of the boat sheds
Stu in front of the boat sheds

St Gerard's Catholic Church and Monastery
St Gerard's Catholic Church and Monastery

Colourful boat sheds on Oriental Parade
Colourful boat sheds on Oriental Parade

Marina on Oriental Parade
Marina on Oriental Parade

Young gull by the waterside
Young gull by the waterside

Police boat cruising into the marina
Police boat cruising into the marina

Te Papa museum
Te Papa museum

Random piano setup in the street that anyone could play
Random piano setup in the street that anyone could play

Wellington Harbour
Wellington Harbour

Te Papa museum and Wellington Harbour
Te Papa museum and Wellington Harbour

Eventually ended up at the bottom of the cable car, and got tickets to go up ($7.50 each return). It was certainly not as chaotic as the Peak Tram!

Sculpture sign for the Cable Car
Sculpture sign for the Cable Car

Wellington Cable Car arriving at the bottom station
Wellington Cable Car arriving at the bottom station

Stu watching the light show on the Cable Car
Stu watching the light show on the Cable Car

At the top we had a bit of a wander to look at the view, and had a beer, and looked through the Cable Car Museum

Stu and Kaz and the view at the top of the Cable Car
Stu and Kaz and the view at the top of the Cable Car

Wellington from the top of the Cable Car
Wellington from the top of the Cable Car

Old cable car in the Cable Car Museum
Old cable car in the Cable Car Museum

Stu on an old cable car in the Cable Car Museum
Stu on an old cable car in the Cable Car Museum

Wellington Cable Car
Wellington Cable Car

Wellington Cable Car and view of Wellington
Wellington Cable Car and view of Wellington

Then headed down again.

Sculpture in the alley to the Plimmer Steps
Sculpture in the alley to the Plimmer Steps

Picked up some supplies in Countdown (aka Woolworths) then headed back to the hotel.

Fifteen and a half thousand steps later.. No wonder our everything hurt!

Crashed for a while in the hotel and had showers to freshen up.

Headed out for dinner to the Noble Rot wine bar. Had a couple of glasses of wine while waiting for a table for dinner. Eventually one freed up. Stu got duck and I got venison with osso bucco. Both were amazing, a really good meal. A late but very pleasant evening to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary.

Stu enjoying a Pinot Noir at Noble Rot Wine Bar
Stu enjoying a Pinot Noir at Noble Rot Wine Bar

Bread and chorizo they gave us because we were having such a long wait for a table
Bread and chorizo they gave us because we were having such a long wait for a table

The bottle of Quartz Reef Pinot Noir we enjoyed with dinner
The bottle of Quartz Reef Pinot Noir we enjoyed with dinner

The sweetie had Easterbrook Farm Duck Breast with Endive, Mushrooms, Quince, Dashi
The sweetie had Easterbrook Farm Duck Breast with Endive, Mushrooms, Quince, Dashi

I had Silver Fern Farm Venison Denver Leg with Osso Bucco, Parsnip, Pear, Vanilla Onions, Preserved Stone Fruit, Confit Carrot
I had Silver Fern Farm Venison Denver Leg with Osso Bucco, Parsnip, Pear, Vanilla Onions, Preserved Stone Fruit, Confit Carrot

Accompanying dinner was a lovely salad with goats cheese
Accompanying dinner was a lovely salad with goats cheese

We tried a couple of the truffles
We tried a couple of the truffles