From Russell to Wellington

The journey from Russell to Wellington

After a pleasant night at the Duke of Marlborough, we want to meet for breakfast at eight o’clock. Surprise: breakfast is not included! Well, then we don’t need one. There are other bakers in the world!

On the way south from Russel to Wellington we could now use the ferry again that we took to the peninsula yesterday. But there is still an alternative: a gravel road through the middle of the dense deciduous forest. Others also say jungle to the immense greenery! The small road winds up to great heights and back down into deep valleys – beautiful!

At some point we meet the SH1 again, which takes us quite pragmatically to Auckland, through Auckland and to Auckland to the airport.

Of course we not only need the car from Russel to Wellington, but of course also a plane.

Returning the rental car is quick because no one is really interested in the condition of the car. “Just throw the key into the key box!” it says succinctly. Well, then that’s how it should be! The fact that we don’t return the car where we picked it up, namely at the International Airport, but at the Domestic Terminal is absolutely irrelevant. A pleasant country!

The flight

The next surprise awaits us in the domestic terminal: we check in at the counter as normal and as usual. But then the security check is so easy and quick that we don’t even have the feeling that we have really been checked. Again: very pleasant!

The flight to Wellington shows us almost the entire west coast from Auckland to Wellington in the most beautiful light and although strong winds shake the plane right before landing, we experience a soft and safe landing.

Based on a tip that our friends received from the person sitting next to you on the plane, we are looking for SuperShuttle service, which should take us from the airport to the city for a reasonable price. In fact, there are fixed prices here: 18 NZD for the first person and six New Zealand dollars for each additional person. You can’t complain about prices like that!

The driver takes us with somnambulistic security through the hustle and bustle of traffic from the airport to our hotel, the DoubleTree by Hilton in Wellington. After the luggage is transported in a trailer, the good man has to pull off another trick in front of the hotel and turn the rather large trailer around on the dead end street. But he manages that well too and we check in at reception in a good mood.

In Wellington

As a special “welcome gift” we receive a voucher for a drink at the hotel bar. So we go up to the room, freshen up briefly and then we meet at the bar. We were already reading the cocktail menu with joy when we learned from the waiter that the vouchers could only be exchanged for a maximum of one type of beer and one white or red wine. All right. Then just a round of Sauvignon Blanc to toast a lovely evening.

Unfortunately, the lovely evening takes place without Liza, who retreats to our room feeling pretty exhausted. The remaining three of us look for the place where the New Zealand bear is dancing and actually find the area around the dockside just a few hundred meters away. This is a square right next to the old harbor where there are a number of bars that are predominantly populated by younger people. So, just right for us!

We find a place in the sun at Dockside and initially just order beer and the inevitable Aperol Spritz for Hans. Unfortunately, our eyes fall on the menu, where half a dozen oysters are offered near the top for a mere 18 NZD. Well, that convinced us within seconds and a few more seconds later Hans and I were each enjoying six pieces of these delicacies.

Strengthened like this, we notice that as the sun has set, the temperatures have also dropped quite a bit. So we walk back to the hotel briefly to dress appropriately for the icy cold. The next route takes us straight back to the dockside, where we arrive at “The Crab Shack” in, as already mentioned, icy 22 degrees Celsius, where our new favorite dish is offered: a chowder! This is the American name for a creamy soup with boiled seafood. One bowl of soup is enough for a complete meal! And tastes delicious!

After that it’s late enough for us, we return to the hotel and look forward to a good night!

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