Today Naomi reverted to her 10 year old self and went on a nature walk (although dressed in fab jive skirt, fishnets and ballet pumps - much to all the other visitors entertainment - i was a whole lot quiter than any of them!) I got the bus to Karori a suburb of Wellington to visit the Karori Sanuctuary a special reserve with big fence all around to keep out predators (although the stupid amount of humane traps for stoats and rats etc make me think the fence isn't quite as secure as they make out!) didn't spot an kiwi (but then they're nocturnal so not really surprising!) but saw tui and a saddleback and these really great artifical houses for waka (giant insects) and moth (you could open them up and see the animals asleep inside).

Then a short hop on the bus again (my feet are feeling the effect of all this walking) and I was at the botanical gardens. i think mum may have had a hand in the planting (the greenhouse contained hundreds of tropical species with one thing in common - they were all pink! and yes i took lots of photos) there were also some big blousey flowers in clashing pinks and oranges - just perfect for mum! (which reminds me in Dunedin i saw marigolds....) had a delicious lunch overlooking the rose garden (cheeky sparrows flying inside and trying to nick food) and then wandered round the gardens upto the cable car (pictured!) took the cable car back down to the centre (after a quick wander round the cable car museum)

The cable car ends quite close to Thornden and the parliment buildings so I went for a wander in that direction taking more photos as well as visiting the cathedrals. New St Pauls (again mum have you been decorating?!) is terracota pink outside and pastel pinks and lilacs inside! (oddly was asked if I was attending a funeral while there...) then on to Old St Pauls a wooden cathedral which was just spectacular and so impossibly cute. Also tried to go to the library and archives as both have galleries but were both closed as today is ANZAC day. So walked through the train station and back to Te Papa for more cake and coffee (well I had to try more than one of the selection).

Have changed my bus time for tomorrow so I can have another half day in Napier as I don't think a morning will be quite enough, downside is i need to be out early AGAIN!

So having gone out for an early dinner (the cheeseiest pizza imaginable - too much even for me! it was a zorba the greek with feta as well as loads of normal chesse!) i decided to go check out cuban carosel at the royal opera house - smaller than the liverpool empire and with a crowd that may never have seen dance in the theatre before judging by the random whistling, cheering and clapping or may be thats just the kiwi style?! i kept seeing posters everywhere for this show but the only night that matched anywhere where i was was tonight, was expecting an amazing feast of cuban rhythms and dance that would leave me wanting to salsa the night away - didn't get it! the second half was better than the first but it was well below what i was expecting - far too much narrative and nonsence trying to show the origins of cuban dance but by mimicking (v badly) african and spanish and aboriginal styles. now where is that early night?