Berlin, Berlin, we're going to Ber.. oh wait..

Wrong capital. Wellington was today's destination of our journey. Metaphorically speaking, we were closer to our loved ones than ever before. From capital to capital. There's even a "Velodrome" here, if that doesn't mean anything.

However, Wellington was very different from Berlin. With around 460,000 inhabitants, the city is naturally much smaller, but everything was much slower here. People were very courteous and relaxed, there was no hustle and bustle on the streets. Pedestrians (mostly) even stopped at the traffic lights and cars didn't honk. The city's inner harbor initially reminded me of Hamburg, but that didn't really apply either. There was no pushing, no trash, no crowds. It was simply quiet. Almost rural. But only almost. Wellington's building scenery had very urban features. But it was a successful combination of stylish modernity and artistic culture. It just fit. The people here radiated an incredible contentment, which seemed to somehow transmit to me. I almost felt at home. But only almost. ;)

The next morning, Ulli and I decided to go for a hike to Mt Victoria to admire the beauty of the city from above. Since we had already done a few hikes, we thought it wouldn't be a problem anymore. We were wrong. If Wellington were a video game, it would definitely be the hardest level in "Hill Climb". With ten final bosses. We climbed slopes that gave us the impression of having an 80° incline. But as steep as the path was, it was definitely worth it. Wellington already impressed me from below, but from above it was simply breathtaking. It's hard to even think about how small we individual humans are, but up here you could perfectly linger in thoughts like these. On the horizon, the sea merged with the sky and time seemed to stand still. It was one of those moments that you deeply absorb in your heart and never want to let go.

But since the city had so much more to offer, we eventually had to brave the descent. However, we weren't sad about it, rather excited about what would come our way next. And there we saw the place we wanted to head to next: a beach. Right in the city. Let's go. We sat on a bench and let our feet dangle. The sun was beaming at us and the sound of the waves calmed our still racing pulse from hiking. We sat here for about an hour, but we deserved the break. Almost simultaneously, Ulli and I voiced the thought that had grown in our minds over the hours: Wellington, we'll be back.

Note: I'm very sorry that the blogs are now being uploaded irregularly. We are now on the South Island and the Wi-Fi here is significantly worse and less available. I'm doing my best to upload a blog whenever possible. Thank you for your understanding and enjoy reading! :)