At the Top of the Cable Car

I have been embracing my role as a tourist in this city the past few days (so I can act cool and experienced when I meet my co-workers on Monday) and it has been wonderful! Yesterday, after making coffee on the stove (that was a first), I took the iconic ride on the Wellington Cable Car up to the suburb of Kelburn. It was there, at the top of the line, that I finally got to see for myself the picturesque views of Wellington that are all over google.

It did not disappoint.

From there, I caught the free shuttle to Zealandia, 556-some acres of preserved forest that serves as a sanctuary to countless endangered plant and animal species.

I took my time roaming the trails (only getting lost for about an hour) and appreciating the vastness of the eco-sanctuary that seemed to isolate me from the rest of the world. At the far end of the reserve there was a large dam that offered stunning views of the forrest it was built to protect.

Pictures just don't do it justice.

And I haven't even mentioned the wildlife!

Did you know that 82% of New Zealand wildlife cannot be found anywhere else in the world? That being said, I could be relatively confident that most of the plants and flowers I passed, and the birdcalls I heard while walking through the reserve, I will never encounter elsewhere. That just made the whole experience so much more surreal.

Pictured on the right is one animal I got to see up close: the Tuatara. This is a rare reptile, similar to an iguana, that is considered to be a "living fossil" within the eco-sanctuary. He honestly wasn't much to look at, but if you consider how rare they are, they become a little bit more beautiful.

Zealandia was such an escape- the symphony of birds, complimented by the rush of the river, allowed me to take my first real breath since arriving in Wellington.

After hours roaming reserve, I took the shuttle back to the top of the cable car. Instead of hitching a ride down though, I decided to stroll back down to the city via the 62 sprawling acres of the Wellington Botanical Garden.

The gardens begin at the Cable Car site and reach all the way down the hill to the city, providing a beautiful 45 minute walk into downtown. After snagging some gelato at the cable car cafe, I began my walk, taking the long way around almost everything and stopping to smell the roses (quite literally) at every corner.

18,000 steps and 100+ photos later, I arrived back at my flat (to freakin' crash). Going through the pictures and videos I took, I'm realizing just how impossible it is to capture how beautiful everything was, but I guess that just makes the whole experience that much more special?

So, I guess y'all will just have to take my word for it :)