The Wellington Cable Car has been in place for decades, providing public transport to the university, observatory and teacher’s college on the hill, and also providing spectacular views of Wellington Harbour for awestruck tourists.
The Cable Car is a funicular rather than a true cable car: the cars are permanently attached to the cable, which stops and starts as required, while a cable car grips and releases a continuously-moving cable. For all technical details, see the Wellington Cable Car website.
When we arrived in Wellington, we met Jenny’s parents and the aunt and uncle they were staying with for lunch in Wellington’s Botanical Gardens.
Begonia House, Wellington Botanical Gardens, Wellington, New Zealand
This picture is taken inside the Begonia House, a hothouse which is always full of colourful exotic flowers. For all the pictures, see the Wellington Botanical Gardens Begonia House album.
Wellington Harbour from Wellington Botanical Gardens
We visited in October, and were fortunate to have bright sunshine for most days of our visit. With a top temperature between 12 and 15 degrees C, and winds of 40 km/h, we found it rather chilly.
However, Jenny has visited Wellington in October before, and it was 3 degrees and raining sideways, so we really couldn’t complain about the weather. Wellington was on her best behaviour for us.
After seeing the Begonia House, we walked up through the Botanical Gardens to the top of the Wellington Cable Car, and whizzed down to Lambton Quay to buy ourselves a New Zealand SIM card. See the Wellington Botanical Gardens album.
Finally, armed with a local means of communication, warm clothes, and access to Google maps, we considered ourselves prepared for whatever Wellington might have to throw at us!
Wellington Cable Car route map and description