Another Journey: New Zealand

So. While there are still a couple of posts from Singapore and Borneo waiting to be written, I should probably interrupt that train of thought with a few tidbits from New Zealand, hey? We’ve decided to split up and give me an opportunity to check out Weta, the other company on my bucket list. Quite the year, this! This is probably not going to be a very coherent post, and the entertaining bits about kids will be missing, too. But yeah. New Zealand!

Weta happened both very slowly and very quickly. They first got in touch in March, and we figured we might just give it a go, seeing as we were already halfway there. But then I didn’t hear back from them until just before our return flight to Germany, and even then, nothing was decided. So we flew back and I went back to work and only by mid-July did I get a definitive answer. By then, I was prepared to reject the offer, but we had a few short family council discussions and decided that it might be a good idea to check out Wellington for a potential family adventure next year. So here I am!

The core of Wellington is nothing much to write home about, I must say. Squarish, garish, semi-old industrial-looking buildings, mostly. Further out, it has a certain charm. It reminds me a bit of Ucluelet on Vancouver Island, with its wooden houses that show their age and are constantly tested by the winds, rains and earthquakes here. What really keeps surprising me, though, is the quality of food that you will find at every corner. Wellington, purportedly, has the highest density of cafes and restaurants per head of any city in the world. I’ve eaten at different places every day since I got here, and every single dish I had was utterly delightful. 

Obviously, I’m here for the final push of an undisclosed-because-the-NDA-says-so project (hold that thought), and there will probably be no too exciting trips. But I’ll try to get around a bit.

NDA Intermezzo: This whole “You are not allowed to tell people what you are working on” thing is a bit silly. Because a quick Google search for ‘what is Weta digital working on right now’ reveals not some overzealous fanboy’s wild theories, no, but a link to a section on Weta’s website, expressively titled ‘In Production’… so there you have it. At least that narrows it down, huh.

On the first weekend, I drove over to Eastbourne, took a walk, waited for the sunset, went to the one bar in town and had an incredible dinner on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, I picked up my old mate Sean, whom I first met back at Method in Vancouver, and we drove up to Martinborough for (you guessed it) an incredible lunch, and over to Cape Palliser to check out the lighthouse and sunset.

Last weekend, I bought a bicycle, an old road bike from New Zealand’s only bike manuacturer, that was built in 1985. It was a steal and is in perfect condition. New tyres, a bit of grease and a longer seatpost was all it needed. I actually picked it up today. My friend Anna (another Method acquaintance) pointed me to Bolton Street Cemetary, which is a pretty big, old graveyard, now in the middle of the city, tucked between the highrises and split in two by the highway. Some pretty sights there, I should go back during dusk or dawn to get a few better pictures.

On Sunday, I met two more old friends; I last saw Sven and Kathrin at Pixomondo, years and years ago. They’ve been in NZ for over three years now. We went out into the beautiful Ohariu Valley, to take a little tour – on horseback. Great fun! Photo credit: these were all taken by Sven and Kathrin, because bringing a camera when I haven’t sat on a horse in over a decade seemed ill-advised.

This week has been all work and no play, to be honest. But that was to be expected. And it’s nice how much effort the company puts into making it all reasonably comfortable. The kitchen is always stocked with fruits, veggies, greens, eggs, breads, spreads, and lots and lots of coffee, of course. I haven’t seen this amount of food being provided for everyone on a daily basis anywhere else. At almost 1.600 people working here, spread out over close to 30 buildings all over the Miramar peninsula, just re-stocking these kitchens every day must be a major headache… There’s dinner for those who stay late. The lunch break counts towards your working hours. All in all, as vfx studios go, this seems to be the land of milk and honey.

Today, I picked up my bike from the shop and rode it to work. It takes only about 35 minutes, so that will be perfect. I worked for a few hours, then walked it back home. Turns out, 65kph winds seem to be my limit for what feels safe and comfy on a bike. 

Here’s some more random snaps from various lunch breaks and the like. I might report back with updates. Or not. We’ll see how it goes. And then, at some point, I’ll write that Borneo post. Promise.