I love walking. For some reason I meet the friendliest, most interesting and generous people when I'm walking. Jean-Gregoire and Elise are a great French Canadian couple who I met in Tongariro a few days ago, and on arriving in Wellington I was picked up and taken to a restaurant via the old parliament buildings, then brought back to their totally gorgeous flat to be the first guest ever to use their newly delivered spare bed. I could never have hoped for a better reception! Thank you, both of you.

But first, let's back the flip up before we flip this track up (a little Limp Bizkit there, to prove I still "have it"). I spent the morning in River Valley drinking several free coffee refills and demolishing a bag of Anzac biscuits. Afterwards, I set off with Liz for a quick walk up the other side of the riverbank - via a very cool cable train river crossing - to check out the view. On the way back, I thought I'd jump in the river a few times. It was cold.

So now I'm in Wellington and I've spent the day ambling through the botanic gardens, touring the new parliament building, getting lost in Te Papa (the best museum in New Zealand), riding the famous Wellington cable train and cooking for my lovely hosts. They've even let me do my own laundry and the dryer finally finished at 1:30am. I have a ferry to catch at 7:30am tomorrow, but Elise is driving me! Friends are great!