How on earth has it reached Labour weekend?
It feels like only yesterday that all us residents of Wellington were mournfully turning to one another, gloomily saying "Well, that's Queens Birthday done - 6 months until the next Public Holiday!"
Yes, daylight saving has started. The nights are brighter, the temperature is (mostly) warmer and there is the lure of a supposedly hot summer is just around the corner. For many, Labour Weekend marks the start of Summer, a chance to get out of town for a long weekend and have a break before the cut and thrust of the upcoming Christmas season.
For others, like myself, it simply means a chance to explore more of Wellington, and take the time to appreciate our city, once again - and all it has to offer.
While there are some great things to do coming up in Wellington, like the Lego exhibition (OMG!! Seriously I cannot contain myself about how excited I am for this), Labour Weekend is a wonderful opportunity to do some activities you may not normally do.
Here are 5 ideas for those of you homebodies to get out of the house and into some exciting new experiences in Wellington.
1. Do a guided walk to The Botanical Gardens
Do you live in an apartment or flat without a garden, like me? Or do you just need to take the kids somewhere, getting them out into the open and engaged in an activity? Why not go to the Botanical Gardens in Thorndon and do a tour to learn more about this amazing place in our city?
The Wellington Botanical Gardens is somewhere we've all been before. But how many times have you wondered about a plant or flower, and wished you'd had someone there to explain it to you? I'm seriously excited for this walk on Monday 23rd, between 11am and 12:30pm, where an expert from Friends of Wellington Botanic Garden explains the inner workings of trees, the links between plants, light and colour, the modern-world relevance of some 'primitive' organisms, the evolution of the flower and raw material for wine corks.
2. Do a tour of Parliament
It is so easy to forget that Wellington is the political hub of New Zealand (well, when we have a Government that is). But how many of us who live here have ever actually been inside (no, school trips don't count)?
Why not learn about the executive and legislative branches of Government by taking a trip to the Beehive. This is one which has been on my bucket list for ages, and disgustingly, I have never done. I did, however, work for 15 months in the Public Service and got to see inside the Beehive. I can assure you that you really do feel at the heart of the workings of our country. It may not be the Houses of Parliament, but in my opinion, the Beehive has a magic all of its own which is well worth experiencing.
There is a range of different tours, including an introduction to Parliament, a highlights tour, a monthly art tour and even private tours. Tours run from 10am- 4pm and are limited to 25 people.
3. Do the Mount Victoria/Town Belt Loop Walk
Who else has climbed Mount Victoria? However, with a little more time on your hands, why not go explore the whole Town Belt loop, right through to Newtown? The full route is 4.7 km and takes around 2 and a half hours.
Starting at Charles Plimmer Park at the top of Majoribanks Street, the walk goes on the Hataitai to City Walkway. The walk then joins onto the Southern Walkway to the top of Mount Alfred then onto the Newtown to Hataitai Walkway and back to the city. Make sure that you take a light walking jacket and trainers or walking shoes. Bring a drink bottle and some snacks as well. The beauty of this walk is that you can drop back down to the city/suburbs almost whenever you want, and get a bus home if you're tired. Consider rewarding yourself at the Ramen Noodle shop in Newtown when you've done your dash!
You can get full instructions on the walk here.
4. Drive to Kapiti Coast
Kapiti Coast is a great place to go for a long weekend, especially when the sun is out. It stretches from Paekakariki in the south through Otaki in the north. I have fond childhood memories of being taken to Lindale, the home of Kapiti Ice Cream, being bought sweets and ice cream and playing on the giant cheese that used to be out the front (can someone confirm whether this is still here?).
Of course, there is much more to Kapiti than just a giant piece of Swiss cheese. Why not go and hit the beach, or go check out Raumati Social Club for a drink. You could even stop into one of the many cute shops or galleries. The best way to check out Kapiti is to just jump in the car, leave lots of time, and have a spirit of adventure!
5. Come to our Workshop at Biz Dojo!!
Ahh - I know that you'll all know the jig is up! Yes, its ANOTHER plug for our AMAZING workshop at Biz Dojo. If you want an amazing day to learn more about social media and collaborations online, as well as how to build great relationships, create killer digital content and optimise it like heck, make sure you pick up a ticket to our workshop. This is perfect for both those who know absolutely nothing and more advanced bloggers/Instagrammers or business folk. LUNCH IS INCLUDED AND WINE! If you fancy, there's a discount code I have for $5 off - use 'THERESIDENTS' at checkout. Make sure you don't miss out because tickets are STRICTLY limited. It would honestly mean the WORLD to me if you came, because I've put heaps of work into this with Collider Wellington, and my amazing colleagues Danijela (Healthy Always), Rebecca (Arriba PR) Reed and Ben Woodward (WhyWellington). Promise we'll have lots of fun and take many, many selfies.
