New Zealand

[Kefalonia]

Anyone know what Wellington's like round Christmas time please? I've heard it's very windy! Can you recommend what to see? Person going will have use of a car. Ta.

[jno]

windy year round. December is near summer and on a clear (and preferably windless) day it is one of the loveliest places on earth - drive to the top of one of the hills (eg Mt Victoria) and look down at the harbour

http://www.buynz.net.nz/images/web_ready_Wgtn_ harbour_2.jpg

Te Papa museum is fascinating. Sit on a beach, about 5 minutes' walk from the downtown area; stroll round downtown - quite buzzy and much more compact than say Auckland - go out into the east harbour suburbs - I believe Peter Jackson's film studio is out there somewhere. Go up the cable car. For easy daytrips try up the west coast or east over the hills to Martinborough and wine country.

[Kefalonia]

Thanks for that - wish I was going too!

[jno]

PS among the trees at the bottom of the picture was one of the settings in Lord of the Rings... not that you'd recognise it, just a hillside covered in trees and bushes, but it was when the black riders turn up early in the first film...

[eash]

Ah this brings back memories and I was only there in June! Wellington is lovely but I have to admit I preferred Christchurch on the South Island.
The cable car in Wellington leads up to the Botanic Gardens which are lovely and everything else jno said too! There are LOTR tours you can go on if that's your thing.
Te Papa is a must.