The song ‘You Can’t Beat Wellington (on a Good Day)’ was released by the Datsun
Violets in 1996. Wellingtonians laugh when they hear it played because this is
exactly what we do say on clear, blue, sunny, still days. The implication is that the
rest of the days are ‘bad’ ones.
A poetry collection was titled Big Weather: Poems of Wellington (published by
Mallinson Rendell in 2018; we have a copy at Booklovers) for a reason. Spring often
arrives bang on 1 September with strong equinox winds. Christmas can deliver a day
that is perfect for sitting inside and eating a large dinner but May can have plenty of
good days.
On a good day, those staying at Booklovers can take their swimming costumes, walk
through the green belt (entrance through the park ‘next door’), see Wellington city
laid out beneath them, and head down the steps of Oriental Terrace to Oriental Bay –
which is perfect for a daytime or evening stroll with its wide pavement and good night
lighting.
But what about the bad days? Here are three personal picks:
Drive to the Katherine Mansfield House (closed on Mondays) in Tinakori Road.
Looking for a park round the corner is a good idea. Mansfield was born here in 1888
– but the house of her short story ‘The Garden Party’ was up the road but
disappeared to make way for the motorway. The house has a stunning timeline of
Mansfield’s life in an upstairs room; the other rooms are period furnished.
Te Papa, the national museum is free – so you can park underneath and regard
the parking fee as an entrance one. This is one of the world’s most user-friendly
museums; brilliant for children. You cannot go directly by bus from Booklovers but if
you take the No 2 Karori bus from across the road, asked for one section ($2.50) and
get off at the St James Theatre stop, your walk should be less than 5 minutes.
Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre’s hydrotherapy pool. Hours are limited
during the weekdays but on weeknights (apart from Thursdays) it opens till 7.45pm.
Saturdays and Sundays: 1pm to 7.45pm. I go there a lot. It is like walking into a bath
– but be warned: it is deep. In the ‘shallow’ end I am up to the neck standing flat
footed. The complex has a big swimming pool – included in the fee: $7.20.
Combination of these two pools and the sauna/hot pools section is $10.70.
If the parking area is full, park on the road right outside or in recreation centre
parking accessed by the next driveway. You could go by bus from Booklovers: stand
under cover of the bus shelter. Ask for ‘one section’ ($2.50). You will go through the
c1900 bus tunnel, which is a delight in itself. Booklovers will provide swimming
towels: don’t take the ordinary ones or they will smell of chlorine.
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