Very pleased to be staying a couple of days with longtime family friend Shiel and husband Richard before gathering strength for the South Island.  Traditional wild Wellington weather of all sorts.  We arrived in time to join Shiel for a farewell lunch with her friends at the local RDA - riding for the disabled - which she helped start and support for several decades.  Both of us a bit scared by large horses which the children seemed to manage well!  Our hosts' garden goes back miles into the hillside, amazing to see giant pine trees towering over the bush, which Richard remembers planting from seed little over 20 years ago!

Windy Wellington from Mt Victoria

spot the cyclists

Chocolate Fish Cafe that was ...

with Richard Shiel and son Paul