04/01/2018 - Te Papa Tongarewa

The second day of the year started with a nasty surprise. The pumpernickel bread didn't make it. It greeted us with colorful mold. We needed an alternative. Just a ten-minute walk away was a small bakery. Tobi got his morning exercise, as it was first steep downhill and then steep uphill on the way back. When he came home, he had two big bags in his hands. They were the best rolls we've eaten here so far - crisp and fluffy at the same time. Even the croissant deserved its name. After this delicious breakfast, it was time to move out of the Airbnb accommodation. Since we had some time to bridge until the next check-in, we decided to go for a little hike nearby. The climb up Mount Kaukau was challenging, but the view of Wellington rewarded this heat battle. Being slightly outside the city, you have the entire city in sight.
Around 1:00 p.m., we made our way to the new accommodation and checked in on our own. We got the key to our small, private hut through a combination lock. We were very excited to have our own bathroom and fridge! :) Additionally, we wanted to take this opportunity to completely empty and clean our car. So, we started unloading right after arrival and after half an hour, the car was empty except for the bed frame. It's incredible how much fits into the car! The hut was accordingly cluttered and we were afraid that our host would get a shock when she saw her Airbnb accommodation like this... We went to a gas station with a vacuum cleaner and started vacuuming the car. We've wanted to do this for so long - finally we found a suitable opportunity. After vacuuming, we gave Sam a well-deserved exterior cleaning. He looked like new!
Afterwards, we went grocery shopping for the next few days. Since we didn't have to worry about lack of space in the fridge, we even bought fruit juices, a watermelon, and a large yogurt container this time. Fully packed, we returned to our"messy apartment".

The next day, we used to do our laundry. This time, besides clothes, we also had to wash the bed linen and towels.
In the evening news, we heard that the outskirts of a tropical storm were making their way to New Zealand. The regions of the North Island, which we had already traveled, were expected to be heavily affected. So far, this hasn't had any major effects on us.

Now, let's get to the actual blog topic:
04th January 2018
The storm was getting closer and the day greeted us with strong winds and occasional showers. Today, we left our car behind and took the bus to the city. It was a good feeling not having to park our valuables in the middle of the city. Before we headed to our destination for the day, we once again visited the optician. The second nose pad of Tobi's glasses had also come off and had to be replaced. Once again, the repair was done without any charges.

Today, we visited the National Museum of New Zealand - the 'Te Papa Tongarewa'. This translates to 'Place of Treasures'. It is centrally located on the Wellington waterfront. The visit to this six-story museum is free, so it's always busy. In short, the museum tells the story of the country's history, flora and fauna, the people who reached this land, and specifically the history of the Maori. Additionally, there are always changing paid temporary exhibitions.
Since the museum is very extensive and it would be too much to go into detail about everything, we will report on the highlights of our visit.

We started on the second floor. This floor focuses on New Zealand's wildlife. In addition to numerous showcases showing the animals in their natural environment, there was a very special highlight - a complete specimen of a 'Colossal Squid'. This one was caught by New Zealand fishermen in the Antarctic by accident in 2007. The colossal squid lady is 4.2 meters long and weighs 495 kilograms. Her eyes alone have a diameter of 27cm. She is preserved in a chemical bath. It is the world's only completely intact specimen of a colossal squid. The dimensions of the animal are spectacular. The journey continued past a blue whale heart. Don't worry, this wasn't real, but a lifelike replica that children can climb through.
Then we went outside for a 'Native Bush Walk' - over a suspension bridge, through an artificial cave with artificial glowworms and a waterfall.
Back in the building complex, we went through the 'Earth Mantle'. This area deals with the formation of the earth. Furthermore, various environmental disasters are addressed. Especially impressive was the section dealing with earthquakes. In addition to interactive screens that show in a playful way how to protect yourself from an earthquake, there is an opportunity to visit a simulator. It simulates an earthquake inside a house. Just the thought of experiencing something like this in your own body is terrible!
The third floor deals with the theme of 'Blood Earth Fire'. Here, the development of nature and the impact of humans on it are presented. In addition to extinct animal species, we saw a powerful series of pictures showing how the forests of New Zealand have declined over time.
On the next floor, it's about the Maori culture. The museum houses very important art treasures which are not allowed to be photographed. There are also two traditional meeting houses and various Maori tell stories from their lives.
After visiting the visitor terrace on the sixth floor, five hours had passed. We had saved one last exhibition on the second floor for the end. This area was created with the help of the 'Weta Studios'. It deals with New Zealand's involvement in World War One - specifically about the Battle of 'Gallipoli'. Eight oversized replicas of various war scenarios immerse visitors in these situations. The artworks are so detailed and precise that we felt like the figures could come to life at any moment. We were deeply moved by the exhibition and the stories and it resonated in our heads for quite some time.
In conclusion, we can highly recommend a visit to Te Papa! Even museum skeptics will have fun with the many interactive stations.
Afterwards, we didn't go straight back home. We decided to take a walk through the city. We passed a small food market where delicacies from many different countries were offered. We opted for homemade spring rolls and were not disappointed. After the refreshment, we went to one of Wellington's most famous streets - 'Cuba Street'. We followed a recommendation from TripAdvisor and had dinner in a Thai restaurant. We can only confirm the reviews - it was really excellent. :)
After dinner, we took the bus back to our little house.

We have gotten used to life in the car by now. When we moved into our first accommodation in Wellington with Kriz, we wanted to go back to our car after just a few hours. We carry our belongings with us every day. We share showers, toilets, and kitchens with everyone else at the campsites, and yet it felt strange to stay with a stranger in their home again. Having a power socket next to the bed and functioning Wi-Fi is no longer a given for us.
In the second accommodation in Wellington, we not only had a room but an entire apartment to ourselves. It was so unusual to just be with ourselves. Despite that, after the previous journey, it was necessary and beautiful again. We already have a completely different appreciation for things that were considered a given in Germany.