Auckland to Wellington Return

Despite the recent earthquake damage Wellington is our destination of choice for a brief holiday before the madness of Christmas engulfs us. The trip is via the main highways with a stop in Taupo on the way down and stops in Whanganui and The Chateau in Tongariro National Park on the way back.

Auckland to Taupo

It constantly amazes me how getting out of Auckland lifts the spirits. It’s not that Auckland is bad it just gets large city oppressive. Well, bugger off traffic and people we are off to Taupo. The road is mostly through farming areas, heavy on the dairy, light on much else. Taupo itself is surrounded by forest, which is a contrast to cows.

The lake is the thing, large and blue with volcanic mountains on the backdrop. Taupo is very big on outdoor sporting stuff and on our arrival every car or person seemed to be connected to a mountain bike. Taupo is also a bit of a party animal, lots of restaurants and bars together with attendant backpackers. However even the most fueled up party person could not be impressed by the natural beauty of this place.

Taupo to Wellington

After returning to winter conditions in Taupo it was nice to hit the road toward Wellington, especially since the forecast was for sun and warmth. The main highway out of Taupo is essentially a goat track by normal road standards. Since there are few places to pass speed is governed by the slowest vehicle in front (normally a camper van or mentally challenged Toyota Prius driver). Does give the chance to view the mountains and lake which really are beautiful.

Unfortunately this gives way to alpine plateau which is brown with twiggy things growing on it as far as the eye can see. Would be ok but there is someone up ahead herding their goats with a camper van moving at the pace of the slowest animal. Once off the plateau into green undulating country which is initially pretty but at goat walking pace gets very repetitive. After what seems like several days we hit the road into Wellington. This pretends to be a motorway but also has traffic lights which present significant challenges at 100 km/hr.

Happy Times in Petone

We stay here. Petone has it all, shops called boutiques, gastro pubs, cafes with weird stuff hanging on the walls and Pak ‘n Save. It also has an esplanade with beach, train to Wellington CBD in 15 minutes and, essential in all quality suburbs, an art house movie theater. But there is a mystery attached to Petone and this is it, a surprising volume of the residential stock is really shoddy.

Streets of elderly houses which appear to have had their last maintenance cycle completed in 1960. Unlike gentrified areas in suburbs of a similar type Petone looks like a place where people live to have a life rather than live to support their property dependent. This is a wonderful thing.

Wellington Yah!

So, Wellington has the wind thing and the earthquake thing and the politician thing. All irritating in different ways, but what is not is the CBD urban environment. Wellington is so far ahead of the other major cities (looking at you Auckland and Christchurch) that it’s laughable to even compare them. I will anyway. Auckland – struggling convenience and two dollar shops interspersed with cafes and an occasional “quality retailer”. The quality retailers are mostly confined to easily defensible precincts so their infrequent customers do not have to share space with actual Aucklanders. In terms of urban environment – the things you walk on, touch and see Auckland has mostly covered with black granite and randomly dumped street furniture on it for variety. The efforts at renewal on the harbour are generally either sterile (Viaduct and Wynyard) or just bad (Princess and Queens wharfs). It is a bit mean to focus on Christchurch given the earthquake and rebuild but at least it has a chance to resurrect itself. Unfortunately from what I have seen and heard the CBD is still mostly a wasteland with a few buildings tossed in so everyone can pretend stuff is happening. A work in progress so no further comment.

Ok, so what has Wellington got. No crappy black granite for one. Wellington is organic, it has developed a streetscape consisting of a variety of materials, small parks, lots of public art and people focused spaces. It is intimate but not suffocating. People are rewarded by walking, they see and experience lots of stuff, both weird and traditional. Retail is vibrant, well maintained and even the ordinary shops have an upmarket feel. You will struggle to find a two dollar shop or dodgy convenience store.

Wellington to Whanganui

Once out of Welly the road is ok with a surprising number of passing lanes. This allows you to get to Whanganui quickly. This is a good thing. On the way Otaki has outlet stores, Foxton has a windmill and Levin has car sales yards.

Whanganui

Stop everything and move to Whanganui. This place has everything. A river with a real steam paddle boat. The longest elevator through a rock in the world. The  most affordable beach-side suburb in New Zealand (and Australia and probably the southern hemisphere). Easily the biggest dog food factory in the country. More glass blowers than bureaucrats. As if these advantages aren’t enough the real biggie is this: Whanganui has more epic buildings in two square kilometers  than all the other cities in the North Island (excluding Napier) combined.

Yes it really is that good. And, as if it couldn’t get better most of these epic buildings are empty. So heaps of room for every one to move into.

Whanganui to Chateau Tongariro

Hills and sheep, road mostly goat track per description in Taupo to Wellington except with less traffic. Chateau is a brick pile built in 1929 in the style of a…… Chateau. Has pretensions toward the premium end of market which it kind of fulfills.

Surrounded by mountains with steam coming out and sirens to let you know you have to run really fast when the steam turns to lava. Best thing is watching all the people walk up and down the mountain using stick things to prop themselves up.

Chateau to Auckland

Back across the brown plateau with bush stick things growing everywhere. No traffic until we hit the main highway into Taupo where we had to put up with the usual slow crawl. Probably the same goat herding camper vans we met on our way down. Taupo to Auckland easy run until usual Auckland traffic jam which is pretty much normal 24/7. It’s almost like the city is saying I’m so important that I can make your travel a misery any time I like and you have to put up with it. Welcome Back.

Slide Show: Pictures Taken Along The Way

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