We enjoyed a six hour drive from Rotorua, through Taupo, Taihape and down to Wellington on Thursday.

NZ doesn’t seem to stop when it comes to natural beauty. So much so I found myself thinking that it needs some eyesores dotted along the way so that you can appreciate the more spectacular sights even better.

NZ obviously didn’t want to disappoint me; driving from the north into Wellington doesn’t showcase the city’s highlights. Crossing over the harbour side dockyards is a terrible eyesore but once you get past that you’ll be treated to usual display of awesomeness.

After checking into the hotel we went for a wonder through the small but pleasant city centre. We soon discovered that there isn’t much to do in Wellington. Planning our next days itinerary might prove difficult.

On the list of 3 activities to do in the windy city (conditions are a little windy) we decided we’d try and do two of them and leave the local production of Miss Saigon off the list.

First stop, the Museum of New Zealand- Te Papa Tongarewa. Usually museums are a snooze fest for me but I was captivated by the natural history and scientific displays especially the display showing a massive colossal squid – the only one on display in the whole world. It was also fascinating learning about fossils and how they are used to locate fuels such as oil, gas and coal. On top of the natural history we also learnt about Maori culture and the European-Maori history and the treaty that saw the Maori and British rule come together.

Next stop, a cable car ride up to Mt. Victoria lookout where the Wellington botanical gardens are located and you gob an eyeful of wonder overlooking the Te Whanganui-a-Tara (The Great Harbour of Tara).

Wellington doesn’t really show off that it is the capital city of New Zealand but it is quaint for a city and worth a day stopover should you ever come to the north island.

On our second night in Rotorua we ventured out to enjoy an “authentic” Maori experience showcasing elements of their culture including traditional songs and dance, ta moko (face tattoos), the haka and a hangi feast.

During the show, we found it quite funny seeing a waifer thin Maori girl and a large buxom white girl singing and dancing with the tribe. They looked so out of place.

After the show, we enjoyed a hangi feast – food cooked underground – before taking off on a night time wildlife tour to see – among other things – real life kiwi birds. It was very exciting seeing the birds scrounge around at night digging into the ground looking for food.

While elements of the night were adorned with tackiness – including a Maori playing western songs on a saxophone – overall the experience was thoroughly entertaining, educational and fun. It’s refreshing to see a people who have embraced the day and age they live in but haven’t forgotten their past – even if they are doing it to make a buck.