There's lots to like about living in Wellington. Indeed, there's lots to like about living in New Zealand (e.g. the scenery, no tipping, enjoying a smokefree meal). It's a great city to explore on foot armed with a map, perhaps with an audio guide on your iPod. The weather is often scorned: you'll need a brolly (if there's no wind), but a jacket with hood is better (there's always wind) and sunglasses are good for any weather in The Windy City (they keep out bright sun as well as flying dirt!).

Positively living in Wellington

A Trek Through Wellington. Used with permission of Julian Knap #.

Aside from the personal opportunities Wellington has brought to us both, there are a number of more general reasons why we like living here:

• It's a compact (180,000 residents), knowable city you can easily explore on foot;
• As a city it's more like Frankfurt than Chesterfield, so Simone can get her culture;
• We have both found work here—Project Koru hinged on the offer of work for Simone;
• It isn't the back of beyond; Bruce wanted to work in a city with a major hospital, vs. delivering babies on the back of a Toyota pick-up in the far reaches of some sheep station;
• There are good walkways, some of which we've explored;
• It's halfway between the attractions of North Island and South Island;
• The bottom half of North Island is an area we had previously bypassed, offering lots to explore;
• It's clean—you're not always stepping into chewing gum or dog poo;
• You can dine out and enjoy fine food;
• You can dine in and enjoy good food;
• You can find most German comforts;
• "In Christchurch it's who you went to school with; in Auckland it's how much money you have; in Wellington it's what job you do"—the latter fits us best!;
• Te Papa is a great museum, and the Museum of Wellington City & Sea is also worth exploring;
• It's not dark before 5pm, even on the shortest day;
• Evening classes offer a variety of options, from basket weaving to e-business, via the high school and universities;
• The public transport network of buses, trains, and planes is well-connected;
• The airport is small, so clearing immigration and customs is no hassle;
• You're rubbing shoulders with everyone, from students to MPs, Blanket Man to Prime Minister;
• It's laid back, where going barefoot about town is acceptable (even normal);
• Look in the right shops for a showcase of NZ arts, crafts, and fashion;
• Wellington City Council's Absolutely Positively Wellington mantra is so effective that it's palpable;
• The City has a public commitment to art;
• There are plenty of concerts, cultural and sporting events;
• You don't need a car to enjoy what the City has to offer;
• Wellingtonians are almost invariably friendly and helpful—you're not anonymous;
• It's a cosmopolitan place, with people from all over the world calling it home;
• The beautiful Abel Tasman National Park is not too far away;
• It has a great waterfront;
• It has good-quality rental accommodation, although at a price;
• It has both a Mac retailer and Nikon servicing;
• You can find interesting spectacles and designer home furnishings;
• You can get good chocolate.

Heart of the Edge

The last word goes to Kevin Roberts, who invites people to "Come to the Edge":

We position New Zealand as "the world's edge."
Radical stuff starts on the margins.
Change comes from the fringes.
Innovation happens on the edges.
Edge is biological and cultural.
Wellington is the Heart of the Edge of the World.

Waterfront poetry from Milky Way Bar

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