Laying Low

On Thursday, I decided to make a trip to the National Tattoo Museum in Wellington. Apparently they use the term “museum” quite loosely. I don’t particularly consider a few hundred pictures of tattoos coupled with odd armor soldiers a museum. I even saw a Simpsons chessboard and Lord of the Rings figurines. I’m not sure how those particularly fit in or why they were there, but they were. The museum resembled someone’s old dust-covered attic full of long-forgotten, meant-to-be-sold-at-the-garage-sale crap. I had entertained the idea of getting a tattoo as they have an attached tattoo studio, but I feared they would use the tattoo needles displayed in the dirty cases and decided against it. I’d prefer to have my tattoo done at an immaculately clean parlor even if it means I can’t claim the honor of being tattooed at New Zealand’s National Tattoo Museum.

I had thought about going to Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand, also but decided against it. I think I hit my Maori culture quota after I visited the Auckland Museum and experienced the concert and hangi in Rotorua. I figure once I’ve seen a few indigenous wooden carvings and tools – I’ve probably seen them all.

I tried to book my ferry over to the South Island on the Bluebridge Cooks Strait Ferry Line yesterday, only to find out their ships are inoperable due to maintenance. Thankfully the Interislander Ferry Line, which is a bit more expensive, was still running and had trips on Monday. I was originally going to leave on Sunday because Bluebridge doesn’t run on Mondays, but now I decided to leave a day later. It makes it a bit easier to pick up my rental car and I get an extra day in Wellington to explore.

Last night, I hung out at my hostel with a group of regulars who have been here for months. It was great to sit with people from all over the world and just hear how they get on and what their plans are for the future. I met an English girl, Beth, whose top three childhood movies are Goonies, Princess Bride, and Willow. I knew immediately we would get along well. No one I have ever met has even heard of Willow, nevermind actually lists it as one of his or her favorite childhood movies. I used to watch Willow incessantly as a child, and I have no idea why I even saw it in the first place – it is such an obscure movie. However, it was nice to see that despite being from different nations and raised in different atmospheres, some things are consistent across borders.

Today started as an absolutely fantastic day, weather-wise. I was actually able to wear short sleeves and not freeze my butt off. I took a walk into town and came upon a band playing out in the street so I listened for a while. Then I stopped into a Turkish restaurant for lunch today. One of the main reasons I chose it was for its name – AbraKEBABra – I thought it funny and original. I’ve never eaten so much Turkish food as I have since I’ve been in New Zealand. I don’t know if there’s just an overabundance of Turkish places so it’s constantly in my face and therefore on my mind or if I’m just really developing a taste for Middle Eastern cuisine. Indian has been another one of my favorites since I’ve arrived. I only ate at an Indian restaurant once when I was in New York, and I’ve already dined at quite a few Indian restaurants since I’ve been in New Zealand. Perhaps my palette is changing, and I’m losing interest in the American continental foods that I used to enjoy.

After lunch I made my way over to the Cable Car, which is supposedly a “must-do” in Wellington. The cable car makes it’s way along a path that ends at the Botanic Gardens. As I should have predicted, because luck does not seem to be with me when it comes to seeing sights and attractions, the cable car was closed due to annual safety checks. Of course it’ll reopen on Monday, the day that I leave for the south island. I contemplated taking the bus or some other transport up to the Botanic Gardens but the weather had taken a turn for the worse and I thought I might get stuck in the rain. I’ll possibly make my way up to the Gardens tomorrow if the weather turns out to be conducive to my plans.