One thing that I get asked a lot -- and that I wondered about prior to getting here -- was what you do for Christmas if its in summer?
The answer is, apparently, bum around in beautiful weather and celebrate by jumping into Wellington Harbour.
In slightly more detail:
We woke up in our private ensuite room (thank you, hostel) to the sunlight pouring in through the windows, illuminating everything in that distinctly summer light. We could see the bright blue of the sky reflecting in the nearby harbour, and it just felt like a beautiful day.
To kick off the day, we skyped our family back home, to wish each other Merry Christmas and Merry Christmas Eve, depending on the time zone. So much had been happening that it felt like the first time in ages that we'd been able to connect with our families, and we took our time catching up.
To top off the already excellent start, we went downstairs to find that the hostel staff was pouring champagne and heating mince pies for a Christmas brunch. Delightful!
The four of us ate a kebab lunch on Wellington Harbour, looking out across the insane blue waters. We went to Te Papa for a bit, and Claire and I introduced the siblings to the joys of Bush City. The museum closed early for Christmas, so the tour ended early.
Claire and I, since coming to Wellington, have been meaning to jump off the harbour. It's a Thing, of sorts, where fully clothed people will launch off the docks into Wellington Harbour.
Contemplating with Solace in the Wind
Claire and I decided to do it, at long last, and we took off our shoes, stood at the edge of the pier, and braced ourselves. Correction: Claire stood at the edge of the pier and just plunged off the end. I stood at the edge, quaking, before taking the leap. (We also cheated slightly by not jumping off at the traditional place. I am afraid I am a coward and would not have been able to walk off the edge of a plank.)
The water wasn't cold, but it was shockingly salty. That meant that despite the fifteen foot jump, the water was so buoyant that it felt like I was being hurtled upwards towards the surface. On the other hand, it also meant that every time my sister, peering over the edge, asked how it was, I tasted salt against my lips and sputtered more than I would have normally.
My sister decided that she wanted to jump, so Claire and I both took another dive.
My brother, either boring or not crazy, opted to play photographer.
Anyhow, we went back to the hostel to change out of our sopping, salt-crusted clothes, then decided to take a leisurely walk through the Botanic Gardens. The rose gardens were in full bloom, and we spent a good while smelling the flowers and enjoying the sun.
Our new friends enjoying the gardens
Most places in Wellington were closed for dinner, so we ended up dining at a Chinese restaurant on Courtenay Place. It was a bit disconcerting to have Chinese for Christmas dinner, but it was delicious and left no one wanting.
To ease off the food, we walked around Wellington and introduced my siblings to the town. The evening ended under the Telecom Tree (thank you, branding), and had our picture taken (and put up on the company's Flickr. Strange.).
All in all, a good Christmas.
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