Just a short 3 and a half hour  flight from  Brisbane is New Zealand .

Today I  flew into Wellington .  Wellington, the capital of  New Zealand sits near the North Island’s southern most point on the Cook Straight.  It is a compact city ,  encompassing a waterfront promenade,  sandy beaches and  a working harbour .

As we were descending into Wellington, here are some of the magnificent views taken from my window .

I commented to a fellow passenger how stunning the views were and he told me that was The  Sounds .

After a little investigation I learned that the Sounds are Marlborough Sounds which are a collection of ancient sunken river valleys filled with the waters from the Pacific Ocean .  Today the Sounds are popular for kayaking and hiking ,  there are many tent camping sites ,  also walking tracks ranging from short trails of an hour or two to overnight hikes .

Tomorrow I will be exploring Wellington city.