Go wild in Wellington

By ROBIN MARTIN

It's somehow reassuring flying into Wellington during a vicious southerly storm. After all, for years those of us living north of the Bombays have heard how the capital enjoys more sunshine hours and lower rainfall than our beloved City of Sails.

But not today. Today squally showers lash at our aircraft and slate slabs of cloud scythe across the sky at more than 80km/h.

Touching down here under such circumstances is always accompanied by a certain sense of relief, no matter how many times it is explained that a stiff southerly presents little danger - it's the cross winds you've got to watch out for.

My cab driver is encouraging, insisting the tempest is an exception to the rule.

"It's not like the 80s, mate - what with global warming, things have improved no end."

But I remain sceptical.

As much as Wellingtonians and visitors alike may celebrate the crisp, sparkling days when the harbour surely rates as one of the most beautiful in the world, this is a city at home with inclement weather.

It's evident in the heavy coats, scarves and resolute manner of the commuters, the penchant for central heating and the abundance of cosy bars in the capital.

It's also there in the warmth of the welcome at Matai House. Perched high on the slopes of Hataitai, its leather couches - placed strategically near the fireplace - enjoy a commanding view of those impossibly fragile jets as they make their approach over Evans Bay.

Rex, who converted the family home into a bed and breakfast five years ago, explains that an American guest once described Wellington Airport as "that place where they parked an aircraft carrier".

Warmth is also in plentiful supply at Bar Bodega, where the regulars so taken with their local, once held a parade to celebrate its move from upper Willis St to Ghuznee St, out of the path of the proposed motorway extension.

In an age of big screens, the familiar faces huddled under an impossibly tiny television watching their Lomu-less Lions, greet this visitor from the north as if he had just returned from the far corners of the earth.

Wellington is rightly proud of its night-life; the Courtney Place shuffle has become as synonymous with a trip to the capital for some as a visit to Te Papa is for others, but be warned the best locales are tucked out of view.

"Good luck getting into Good Luck," cries a jovial passer-by as we descend into this basement establishment. Modelled on a Chinese opium den, Good Luck sports a youthful crowd and is worth a visit for the fit-out alone.

Further along Cuba Mall - just past the infamous bucket fountain - is the Matterhorn, described by one Wellington columnist as "the most expensive corridor in town" in reference to its entranceway and renovations.

A haunt for the beautiful folk, the Matterhorn has been extended and its menu gentrified. Regulars remain divided over the changes, but judging by the patronage tonight it has also found new fans.

Motel, on Tory St, invites one to lounge, perhaps after enjoying a meal at its fun neighbour Chow.

And for those for whom the dance-floor is paramount, Studio Nine, hidden away in the Edward St Precinct, is the premier location.

Almost inconceivably, I awake to an even more ferocious storm, but no matter - hot coffee and Danishes await. Today has a Wahine-disaster theme and the weather could not be more appropriate.

Guests of Flat Earth, a specialist, all-inclusive tour operator, my companions and I battle vainly with umbrellas, heading to the Museum of Wellington City & Sea on Queens Wharf.

A little-known gem, the former 1890s Bond Store has ditched its entrance fee and can readily be included in the cultural triumvirate with the City Gallery and Te Papa, both of which are within walking distance.

Museum highlights are the Maori legend explaining the creation of Wellington harbour - as told by a holographic Joanna Paul - and the memorial to the 1968 Wahine disaster, which features a moving short film by award-winning director Gaylene Preston.

Fifty-one people died in the April 10 tragedy and it is hard to shake the harrowing images of Preston's documentary while heading out to Wellington's wild south coast.

Driving over Brooklyn hill and down through the wind tunnel that is Happy Valley, in a mere 80km/h zephyr, it is difficult to imagine the gusts of up to 230km/h recorded the day the Wahine went down.

At the coast surf surges in huge, rolling swells that crash spectacularly over the ragged rocks - it's awe-inspiringly beautiful but not at all welcoming.

From here four-wheel-drive tours make the precarious trip to the Red Rocks seal colony.

But lacking an all-terrain vehicle, we return to town via the coast road, stopping briefly at the Wahine Park memorial. Approaching Seatoun, there is another moment for reflection looking out to Barretts Reef, where the ferry initially founded.

On a lighter note, this is also Peter Jackson country. The film-maker's Seatoun home, a large, somewhat ad hoc, nondescript affair (well, in Hollywood terms), is squeezed between the coastal road and cliffs behind.

Later, in Miramar, we clamber over a grassy knoll and peer down on a rather desolate Stone Street Studios.

Our guide explains this is the closest you can get to visiting a Rings set. There is little to see - two huge, blue-green screens fixed to stacks of shipping containers and the front of a castle.

Tour operators lament the lack of a permanent Rings attraction and the off-limits nature of special-effects guru Richard Taylor's Weta Studios, but for enthusiasts the allure of piecing together scenes from the locations guides are able to identify is possibly more invigorating.

Eventually the capital does show its famed other side - the sun breaks through, the wind dies and rowing crews take to the once-turbulent harbour.

Brunch at an Oriental Bay cafe is surely a Wellington must when the sun shines and this summer a trip to the beach will also be in the offing.

The city council has spent $7.5 million building a system of reefs, and shipping in 27,000 tonnes of Takaka sand to create a white-sand beach in the bay.

As luck would have it, immediately after a storm is also the perfect time to visit the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary.

A short distance from the city centre, this 252ha valley is surrounded by an 8.6km-long, 2.3m-high predator-resistant fence which snakes its way up and around the city's former water reservoirs.

A private initiative, the 500-year project aims to create an inland haven for native fauna and flora, and become a major attraction in the process. Already, little spotted kiwi, bellbirds, North Island saddlebacks and kaka, among other species, have been released into the park.

A system of graduated tracks makes for great day walks with a high probability of encountering native birds.

On our visit bellbirds and saddlebacks made appearances and I suffered the ignominy of having a particularly cheeky kaka land on my head. Yes, the friendly parrots might be becoming a little used to visitors.

There is perhaps no better way of ending a visit to the capital than with an evening at the White House. No, it's no relation to the US President's domicile or Queen St's house of ill repute - this White House has a reputation as one of Wellington's finest restaurants. Situated in Oriental Bay, its second-floor dining room boasts commanding views across the harbour, fantastic for a romantic evening. Chef/patron Paul Hoather's signature pan-fried Nelson scallops in a Pernod beurre-blanc sauce were a particular highlight.

Oh, and by the way, did I mention it had stopped raining?

Getting there: Air NZ, Qantas and Origin Pacific fly to the capital. See your travel agent for flight options and prices.

Getting around: First-time visitors should try the city tour bus. The distinctive yellow buses take in Wellington's top inner-city locations, including Te Papa, and run every 15 minutes. Cost: $2 adults, 50c children.

What to see and do:

Te Papa:

Wings - Nature's Flying Machines runs until April next year.

Nga Toko Rima: new traditions in clay starts October 22.

Dinosaurs from China starts December 6 until April next year.

City Gallery: Shane Cotton until October 19

Wellington Museum of City & Sea: offers a glimpse into the city's past

Karori Wildlife Sanctuary: experience New Zealand fauna and flora up close.

The capital hosts the world premier of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King on December 1.

International Rugby Sevens comes to town February 6-7.

New Zealand Festival of the Arts, February 27 until March 21, 2004.

wellingtonnz.com