Wellington Village City

Inder Raj Ahluwalia does the rounds of what is touted as New Zealand’s ultimate urban destination which is as easy to navigate as a village

From Mount Victoria, the view was about as good as it gets. A half-turn to the left and I got to see the downtown area with its crowded streets and high-rise skyline. To my right, the bay stretched in a lazy curve, and behind me it was more of the same. Just below the lookout point, a solitary cannon stood staring defiantly out to sea. It would have been near perfect but for the wind.

It made sense to start here, the orientation being near perfect. At one go I'd got a feel for the city and taken in its geographical details. Or so I thought anyway.

A bit like a natural amphitheatre nestled between a harbour and forested hills, Wellington nestles at the epicenter of the country and likes to call itself New Zealand's ultimate urban destination.

Sure, it's the national capital, but it's also packed with national treasures, galleries, museums, shopping and gastronomic delights, and is home to national icons such as Parliament Buildings and Te Papa Tongarewa, Museum of New Zealand. And there's wildlife and nature's attractions right on its doorstep. An exciting downtown shopping experience is only minutes away from a peaceful walk through native bush or along a golden sand beach. A compact, village-like size makes the city easy to walk, yet it sports a cosmopolitan flavour with the stimulation and sophistication of a big city.

I hadn't been in the city an hour before my escort, Peter Reilly deposited me at Te Papa, for two hours that were as educative as they were enjoyable. First on the agenda was the Matariki Starlab session at the museum's PlaNet Pasifika Discovery Centre, where the host walked us through the galaxy, explaining the wonder that's Matariki.

I then visited the museum. New Zealand's largest cultural attraction, Te Papa is a showcase of national treasures, revealing the nation's stories through a provocative and entertaining exhibition of the past, present and future. If you've got the time, The Museum of Wellington City and Sea on Queen's Wharf is also worth visiting.

My hosts hadn't quite done with me yet. Determined that I didn't miss out on Matariki's myriad features, Peter drove me to the Carter Observatory for another, more detailed view of the stars. I had become an instant authority on the galaxy. But the observatory apart, one can get staggering views from up here any time of the day.

Peter Reilly was a perfect escort. He drove well, knew the city like the back of his hand, was easy and accommodating, and liked food. My city stay was punctuated by being driven around, lounging at theme cafes, and occasionally stretching our legs.

The next morning saw me out on the streets before my hosts 'got' me and I enjoyed my freedom by stretching my legs, first in one direction away from my hotel, then the other. A shot of rich, black espresso from a sidewalk coffee cart set things rolling rather well for what turned out to be another enjoyable day, never mind the rain.

Typically, the harbourside is a local centre-stage. The late morning sun was making its presence felt when we arrived to "stretch them legs and breathe in a few bagfuls of sea air". Queen's Wharf is the core of the waterfront area, with animated cafes, bars, restaurants and shops, plus of course all the berthings. If you're inclined, there's kayaking and boating available. We walked the sea-face and felt the spray in our faces. Facing Te Papa is 'The C&A Odlin Timber & Hardware Co Ltd' building, a historic structure now under restoration. It was a wonderful walk but for the wind!

There's this food legacy they like to talk about here. Featured are over 300 cafes and restaurants - more per head than New York. From silver service to cheap eats, you're well served. The city's a melting-pot of flavours reflecting Wellington's cultural diversity and offers quality tastes. Cohabiting deliciously, are Malaysian, Japanese, Chinese, Turkish, Greek. Indian cuisine finds a place in this scheme of things, with 'Little India' and 'Saffron' being two good Indian restaurants. The city's also renowned for good coffee, with cafes competing to impress the connoisseur.

The latest jewel in the crown is Chocolate Fish Café, which became the favourite hangout of Hollywood stars and movie crew of 'The Lord of the Rings' fame. Peter drove me there, leaving the harbour area, traversing up a hilly road that looked down on the city, turning several bends, before descending to sea level again. The quirky café commands a fine view of Scorching Bay and the sea, has its private beach, and sports an easy, elegant ambience.

Scorching Bay itself is beautiful and quite the perfect place to take brunch by the sea and watch the inter-island ferries depart, and the dolphins arrive. The half hour we'd allowed ourselves here just wasn't enough.

Lest I forgot I was in the national capital, Peter then took me to visit the beautifully refurbished Parliament Buildings. Located in the historic suburb of Thorndon, the large complex comprises three architecturally distinctive buildings worth seeing in their own right: the Edwardian neo-classical Parliament House, the Victorian Gothic Parliamentary Library and the unique 1970s style Beehive Building. Locals would have you believe that the Parliament in session turned the area into a beehive of activity, but Parliament wasn't in session right now, things were quiet, and everything seemed under control.

Wellington has an instinct for arts, culture and heritage. From high drama to downtown funk, classical to Cuban, Elgar to electronica, music suffuses the atmosphere. You can rock your socks off at dance clubs in the entertainment district, Courtenay Quarter. There are world-class auditoriums like the Michael Fowler Centre, and excellent professional theatres like the Westpac St James Theatre and The Opera House. And thanks to The Lord of the Rings, the city's imbibed a strong vein of film production.

From Bulgari to bohemian, there's a shop for everyone, and most live in a few square kilometers, making the retail experience compact and bursting. Kirkcaldie and Stains, the city's premium department store, is the flagship around which the best names in international high-street retailing have gathered. From the Old Bank building to the top of Willis Street, it's a fresh boutique experience. Boutiques also fill the gaps in little Woodward Street, Victoria Street and Cuba Mall. Real pity, I'm not a serious shopper, but I must confess to rare feelings of temptation as I browsed around.

They'd talked about the proximity of nature, and I got a taste through 'Seal Coast Safari' which involved an intrepid 4WD journey through Wellington's rugged back blocks and out to its wild South Coast. Accompanied by John McKinney's incessant chatter, we wound our way through hilly farmland populated by wild horses, ostrich, deer, wild goats, and hobbit hangouts, past a giant wind turbine, ending up at South Coast, home to a New Zealand Fur Seal colony, and sporting beautiful views of Cook Strait.

It just so happened that the inter-island ferry happened to be passing by and we all stopped what we were doing (which happened to be nothing, really) to watch the sleek vessel gliding along through seas that seemed to be getting more choppy with each passing minute.

Braving a typhoon-type wind, we had tea and cookies at the seal colony, and stared out at the leaning lighthouse that looked like being blown over any moment. "It's a local symbol" John explained, tossing me a muffin.

It was just another day in a city blessed with everything a city could desire!