Quieter Adventures

I am somewhat in a holding pattern. I had an interview on Friday and am waiting for the results from that. I'm signed on with two temp agencies and have expressions of interest from two more, but I have been warned that, this being a government town, Wellington essentially shuts down over Christmas, and if the job I interviewed for on Friday does not work out there may not be anything until mid-January. We shall see. Something will eventually work out, though, and I remain in the extremely fortunate position of not having to, at present, worry about a roof over my head or where my next meal is coming from, so I really can't complain. Well, I suppose I can, but I do endeavor to not be a terrible person. My lovely Airbnb host suggested me to a friend of hers, and now I have a place to stay for the next three weeks in a gorgeous repurposed church. I've temporarily put the more permanent housing solution search on hold until I have a job. But it's nice to be here for a little while. Moving wasn't too terribly bad as the new place is just a few blocks from the old, but I was once again left wishing that I taken the half as many clothes, twice as much money approach rather than the attempt to pack all of the things approach. Flip side, though, clothes are expensive and I am very tall, so I suppose lugging suitcases around isn't altogether terrible.

In the meantime, I am still running around and enjoying the city in between bouts of finding myself, pondering my purpose, and other bits of intellectual wankery. On the suggestion of one of the recruiters I interviewed with, I took the bus over to Lyall Bay and had brunch at Maranui Cafe.  It was a bit of a cloudy day, but still beautiful.

This Austin was parked outside the cafe.

I've been to a fair bit of theatre so far, in addition to seeing Isaac's Eye the first weekend I was here, I caught a very good production of the Tempest with a steampunk theme, which is how I found out about Aethercon; then the next night I went to a pantomime version of Little Red Riding Hood, which was a great deal of fun. I'd never been to a proper British-style panto before, and it reminded me of doing summer melodrama in Gunnison - complete with boo hissing the villain.  This week I caught Dead Tragic, which is a musical revue with comic interpretations of tragic songs of 40s, 50s, and 60s. Last night I caught a stunning original work called Watch at the newly renovated BATS Theatre. It was a solid script with probably the best integration of video and live theatre that I've ever seen.

I met a friend of a friend for drinks on Thursday night, a fellow American who's been here for six years. I hadn't actually planned anything for Thanksgiving, as it isn't really a favorite holiday of mine, so it was really lovely to have someone to bar hop with. I did find a place that made a fairly decent pumpkin pie, which was nice. I also discovered that whipped cream over here is unsweetened, which was less nice.

Today was sunny and windy (at this point, assume that it is windy unless otherwise stated, or I'll start to become a broken record), and I wandered down by the waterfront on my way to the library to print out sides for next weekend's audition.

This band, the Wellington Batucada, was out playing today, and they were quite good. http://batucada.org.nz

That's the Sea Shepherd behind them, an anti-poaching vessel. They're in town for a few weekends for a fundraiser.

One of the amazing things is how clean the water is. Most of the cities I've been to, any large body of water is rather frightening and not at all healthy looking. Here, however, there are all sorts of places where you can dive in, dip your toes in, and just go out and play. Someday, I'd love to take a long walk off this short plank.

Back along the wharf to Te Papa, the national museum.

Looking north toward the Hutt Valley. The sword fighting school is in Lower Hutt, about a twenty minute train ride away from the city (and just to the left of center in this picture).

It's my understanding that the waterfront has been revitalized over the last few years. It's a very welcoming place now, full of places to sit, with lots of art installations, and the occasional interesting quote in the concrete. I love this bridge - there are locks with lovers' initials on them all along the bayward side.

I was a bit late for this today, but I will definitely have to go back next weekend for this underground artisan's market, which is held every Saturday.

There were kayakers and paddle boaters in this sheltered area.

And this raft - I believe the swans were made of paper.

There are quotes all around the waterfront, I especially liked this one, today.

This was taken from the steps of the library, that's the City Art Gallery on the left and governmental buildings on the right. I love the suspended ball of silver ferns. And the bridge back to the water front (over the highway) doubles as another open space with benches and reading nooks, I just didn't get  a great picture of it today.

Sunset tonight - the tall building is the National War Memorial.

Sunset over Mt. Victoria, from the small balcony off of my room.

Second Weekend in Welly

Wellington is a fairly hilly city. When I went for my interview, I entered from the street level on the south side of the building. The north side of the building is seven stories below.

Friday night I went to the Wellington Night Market in Cuba Street. I got distracted by this amazing bookstore. Probably just going to go ahead and have all of my paychecks sent here.

Stingray!

On Saturday, I went to AetherCon, a steampunk convention held at Dransfield House, a Victorian mansion. Lots of fantastic costumes and vendors! The house itself was really cool, too, I think I'll have to go back sometime for high tea. http://www.dransfieldhouse.co.nz

Sunday I went out to the Brooklyn suburb to look at a potential flat share. Quite, quite hilly!

I walked back into town past Wellington's version of central park.

Still waiting for things to fall into place on the job and housing front, but I'm sure, one way or another, it's all going to work out!

State of the ...me

I have now been traveling for four weeks, and tomorrow will be a week in Wellington. So far I am loving this city, I've met some fantastic people, had some great meals, and seen some inspiring theatre. I have had a few moments of DEAR GODS WHAT HAVE I DONE, but I've had lovely support from family, friends, and the ridiculously friendly people of Wellington to get me through. (Seriously, though, everyone here is super friendly. Also, I don't think I've ever felt this safe in a city, ever.)

My paperwork issues are sorted, and I have everything I need to walk into my first interview at a temp agency tomorrow. I also have an audition lined up for the first weekend in December and will be starting classes at the European martial arts school on December 1st. Still trying to sort out a place to live, but I was able to extend my Airbnb stay through next Friday, so hopefully something will have worked out by then. The adventure is temporarily less cinematic, but still an adventure nonetheless.

Nelson to Wellington

I got up early Friday morning and drove back to Picton to catch the Interislander ferry to Wellington. I parked the rental below decks and then went up stairs to enjoy the stunning views. The swells were about three meters on the ocean, so it was nicely rocking and rolling - but it was so smooth and lulling that I actually fell asleep! I did take some pictures on the way over.

I found accommodation through Airbnb at an incredible flat in the middle of Wellington, my host has been wonderful about introducing me to the city. I love the old elevator in this building:

She also suggested a great place for dinner for my first night, and this was taken on the walk over:

The next morning I took one last short drive up the coast before handing in my rental car. It was foggy and rainy when I set out, and quite stormy by the sea so I didn't pull the phone out to take pictures. By the afternoon the sun was out in Wellington, though it was a bit windy. I spent the afternoon wandering through Te Papa, the national museum. 

Then I went to go see closing night of a fantastic play called Isaac's Eye at the Circa Theatre, one of the two main theatres in Wellington. The production was really, really great, which made me very happy.

This morning I went with my host and one of her friends to the Sunday market, which is held every week, rain or shine. I'm really looking forward to having access to a kitchen again, though the job and  rental search is in limbo right now due to some delayed paperwork. Soon, though, I hope.

There are more vendors and food trucks set up behind the fruit and veg stands, and there's an indoor market with artisan foods in the building behind that. It was lovely, and I'm told that today was actually on the small side! And the weather was stunning today, sunny but not too warm and almost no wind - days like these are a bit of a rarity, I'm told. In the afternoon I met the friends of a friend for coffee, which was wonderful, and they invited me to their Sunday yoga class. I had a grand time, and am looking forward to going back next week.

I've been in vacation mode this weekend still, but it's time to really settle in now. Hopefully I can fix the paperwork issue tomorrow, get signed on with a temp agency, and find flatmates by this Friday!

Nelson - Views

After touring the museum, I went back to the B&B and had a bath in the clawfoot tub (no pictures of that, sorry), then went to walk on Tahunanui Beach.

There were, sadly, a few dead jellyfish on the beach.

And more snow covered mountains in the distance.

The Warwick House was really cool.

The views weren't bad, either. And the weather was gorgeous the entire time I was there.