I know for a fact that we will be back to visit, hopefully on a regular basis - there's no way my love of this city will ever diminish but at the same time we must embrace the new path and adventure we are on too as there will be much to love about our new part of the world too.
Castlepoint
We've only actually been to Castlepoint once (in winter last year) and I wish I had known how beautiful it was so that we could have a) visited it in earlier years or b) made more time to visit again before we left. The sunrise we experienced here was simply breathtaking and it's a wonderfully uniquely recognisable spot with the lighthouse jutting out on the headland as it does and the stark cliffs of Castle Rock rising up behind it.
At 2.5 hours drive from Wellington you do have to consider staying the night if you want to make it anything less than a flying visit. We stayed in a cosy little cabin at the Holiday Park and it was just perfect for an over-nighter.
Somes Island
Last year we took the boys for an amazing day trip over at Somes Island. We struck it lucky - it was one of those 'can't beat Welly on a good day' days. Crystal clear waters, no wind and an amazing super luxury yacht just happened to be floating in the harbour so we got to see that up close as the ferry went past too.
We walked the circuit of the island, taking in the memorial to those who had been quarantined here and never made it off the island, the views back towards the city, got up close and personal with the little lighthouse on the southern side of the island, before mustering our remaining energy for the short, steep climb up to the island's summit.
It was a magical day out - one we had to almost pinch ourselves to believe we'd actually experienced.
The botanical gardens
We have been fortunate to live within a twenty minute walk of our city's botanical gardens the whole time we have lived in Wellington. When Noah was little, we used to visit it almost weekly - always taking bread down to feed the ducks. It almost feels like the place where he learned to walk, I have such lovely memories of him tottering around on little unsteady legs and hanging over the fence throwing bread.
Come to think of it they've both had their share of 'learning to walk' experiences there - this photo below on Fathers Day when Mylo was nearly one too.
I'll also miss going down in spring to capture the spring colour breathing new life into the gardens - it's been a favourite past-time to visit once the tulips are all out in bloom.
And how can I forget my favourite lamp-post and view into Narnia - how I shall miss it.
We've also enjoyed many an afternoon playing at the playground that has a pretty cool set of slides and flying fox perched on the side of the hill too over the years.
The best little zoo in the world
While some might argue Wellington's zoo isn't the most amazing (it's small and perched on the side of the hill) because it doesn't have the likes of elephants, polar bears, rhinos or alligators that say Auckland Zoo has, we have seen the zoo undergo an incredible transformation over the years we've visited with the kids. A few years running we had annual memberships which made it an easy way to kill a couple of hours whenever the mood took us rather than it having to break the bank! I truly think that it deserves the title of 'best little zoo in the world'.
Our favourite weird looking creature - the tawny frogmouth bird never failed to delight whenever we spotted him.
Well you'd have thought I might have run out places to reminisce over by now, and yet I now there's still so many more places dear to heart in this little city that we will sorely miss that I haven't even touched on yet, so I'll guess I'll just have to keep this little series going a little longer...so next week it is!
