Wellington to Kapiti and Womad.

I took Christine to the plane to return to Nelson. I will pick her up again in 10 days time after Womad returning back to Wellington to continue our North Island trip. So with some free time up my sleeve, I park up at the free council park in Evans Bay for a while. I bike into town regularly to go to Hot Yoga classes and to do some busking around the city!

It's a great way to get around town, no parking hassles

 tho I can't leave the saxes on the back of the bike.

Cuba Street is good with no traffic noise!

The City Gallery had an Exhibition of American Photographer Cindy Sherman who photographed herself over 40 year period. Some of the exhibition shots (very large photos) she was dressed up as a clown, and as I happened to be busking in clown gear....I just couldn't help myself....in I went!

Another day another outfit...near Te-Papa.

Wellington on a good day is fabulous.

On a bad day it's...Brrrracing!

I left Evans Bay and motored out to Eastbourne, having never been out that way before, and to check out the Pencarrow Lighthouse.

From this road you can see the Inter Islander Ferries coming and going from Wellington

A Wild Goat

In fact so wild, they were getting on my goat a bit

.....no kidding

Some cool knitting in a shop at Paraparaumu                                                                                            

I also called into see the Kapiti Mens Shed and spotted this car parked.

Caution 79.3/4 Year Old Driver

Top marks mate...great sense of humour!

Spells like me too!

I watched a TV programme about a building in Otaki called Nga PuraPura.

So  I went a checked it out.

A very impressive building for a small place like Otaki.

Here is a link to the Architects web site with more info about Nga PuraPura

More busking in Main Street Otaki outside an Art Gallery, 

they were having an Exhibition Opening

The mouth of the Otaki River is a great place to parkup, although you may have a fisherman parking his vehicle beside you at 2am which was a bit scary!

I love seeing patterns in nature, we live in such a beautiful world

...if you really open your eyes and look closely and in detail.

...and it's free!

Reminds me of my sister who as a girl had pigtails in her hair. 

This pattern (below) reminiscent of a rib cage on an athlete.

Heading for Taranaki

My favoured spot to parkup is down at the Todd Energy Aquatic Centre, in New Plymouth. 

This is within walking distance of town and biking distance to the Womad venue.

 Lovely walks along the sea front 

and very cheap ($2.50) to go for a swim and a hot soak or sauna in the Aquatic Centre 

If you're a Gold Carder.

It's a perfect unicycle track and I rode it perfectly.

You can take the cycleways/walkway all the way to the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge

Aint "The Mountain" nicely framed.

An Artist doing his thing in the river bed

....a bit of a balancing act!

Womad 2017, it's a colourful event!

These guys were Irish/Canadians, they really got the crowd dancing!

Hair today...gone tomorrow 

Walking out at night through the Park, its all beautifully lit up!

From Korea, some powerful drumming and Kung Fu type movements.

Some guys achieve the impossible

...answering a phone call during very loud music.

Silk flags especially commissioned every year.

Below is "Brushy One String" from Jamaica

One very cool cat with one very strong "one string" to his bow.

Yes it's a CD Wall

So that was Womad for another year.

Brilliant!

The next blog I pick up Christine in Wellington, and we travel back to Taranaki.

Cheers Jimu & Christine