Wellington, New Zealand

On our drive South we stopped for lunch at Lake Taupo - an inland lake in the center of the country. 

Amazing how few boats and lake activity on a Sunday.  Just not many people around here.

We've spent the past few days in Wellington, known as the "coolest little capital in the world".  We agree and wish we could have spent another day or two here.

One of the highlights was the Weta Cave studios tour - a workshop where props and costumes are designed and made for hundreds of movies including Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit.

Also a don't miss on the waterfront is the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa.

Diving platform on the waterfront in Wellington. We saw one guy do an epic bellyflop. 

Yesterday, we took the Cook Strait Ferry (the Interislander) from Wellington on the North Island to Picton on the South Island. The ferry was more like a cruise ship with multiple restaurants and a movie theater. The sea was flat and smooth for the three hour crossing. The weather has been great too - sunny and 70's.   

First views of the South Island

We picked up a car in Picton and drove for two hours to Nelson where we'll stay for the next week...

Leaving Auckland, weekend on the farm...

On our last night in Auckland we visited the observatory and the SkyTower (very similar to the space needle in Seattle).  Great views of the city at dusk, and then the fog rolled in.  We had dinner at the revolving restaurant up top.

We left Auckland Saturday morning and headed south to Kauri Lodge for a weekend "farmstay".

Our guest house on the farm.

Our host Libby with Allison and Cameron - and yes they are sitting on a cow.  Turns out the New Zealand cows are very friendly!!

On Saturday we visited Hobbiton - the movie set where Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were filmed. Cameron is a huge fan so this was an exciting morning. The landscape and set creation are extraordinary! Cameron has me now convinced that I need to watch one of these films.

In the afternoon, we visited Waitomo Cave to see glowworms and also Ruakuri cave. 

A boat ride on an underground river, lit by glowworms, is the highlight of Waitomo.

On Sunday, we'll leave the farm and head to Wellington, on the far south tip of the North island - New Zealand's capital city.