Købe the Traveling Cat

Hello!

It´s me, Købe! Lat weekend, I had some new adventures I have to tell you about.

Gerke, Jeff´s flatmate, took me on a trip to Wellington! Steff, a friend of Gerke, joined us and we had a great time together! Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, located in the south of the North Island. There are about 330.000 inhabitants. Wellington lies in a bay and it is very hilly.

We arrived Thursday evening and it was a nice summer evening. As the trip was very spontaneous, we had had some problem to find an accommodation, but in the end, everything worked out just fine! We lived with a very nice family. Our hostfather welcomed us very friendly and during the breakfasts with the family, we learned a lot about their life. Neil told us that he is an inventor and was involved inventing a very funny thing: fly by Wire Ride. You hang on a wire lying in a litte rocket and you can fly around in circles. You can do it in Queenstown. Apart from that, he told us a lot about Lord of the Rings and whose of his relatives acted in the movie.

Friday, it rained a little and therefore, we decided to go to the Te Papa Museum. There, we learned a lot about New Zealand and the Maori Culture. In the museum, there is a huge Greenstone, which is a stone the Maoris use to make jewelry. You can see me on one of the photos with the huge stone. Apart from that, we learned about the first settlers who came to New Zealand: people from England, Italy, Germany... In the museum, you could make a test whether you would be allowed to live in the country, and I found out that I could get a visa! I do not know if I wanted to live in New Zealand forever, but it is good to know that I could! Furthermore, there was a little hut. You could go inside and then, an earthquake was imitated. It was very shakily!

After the museum, we met Steffs flatmate from Christchurch who is in Wellington for three months. We had lunch together, but then he had to go back to work. Later the weekend, we were allowed to visit the Ministry of Transport where he is doing his internship. It was very interesting!

After lunch, we met Hendrik, a friend of Gerke. He studies hospital management in Germany and was making an internship at a New Zealand hospital for half a year. He took us driving cable car, which was great fun!!! After that, we went to the Botanic Garden and the Rose Garden!

In the evening, I stayed at home because I was very tired. Gerke went to a barbecue with Hendrik and some of his friends and Steff spent the day with her flatmate. I did not join the barbecue, but Gerke told me about it. It was a typical Kiwi-barbecue. That means that it took place although it was quite cold outside and everyone had to wear a pullover and a jacket. But everyone was happy celebrating in the garden. Gerke told me that in Germany, people only have barbecues on very sunny days. However, in New Zealand, people have barbecues no matter what the weather is like!

Saturday, Gerke and Steff did some sightseeing and shopping. We saw the parliament and other government buildings. Wellington has very nice shops so it was great fun. At the end, we relaxed having a coffee at Starbucks!

In the evening, we went to the park and watched a theater play. It was Shakespeare´s `As you like it` and I really enjoyed it! The stage was right between the trees! People were sitting on blankets having picnics right in front of the stage. It was totally different than when you go to a theatre play in Germany, where people get dressed up (Gerke told me about that).

Sunday, we drove to a mountain right in the city. There, the famous movie `Lord of the rings´ was filmed! It was really nice to walk around there! You can see me on a photo where I am sitting under the tree under which Frodo hid from a Nasgul!

In the afternoon, we made a ferry trip. It was great weather and it was very nice to see the city from the water!

Unfortunately, we had to leave for Christchurch on Sunday evening. But I will never forget the wonderful trip to Wellington with my new friends!