Saturday started off with the usual trip to Porirua for our swimming session, but by the time we got home, the bad weather sunk in and the rest of the day was pretty much written off. We did make it out to New World for some food shopping, but that's as adventurous as we got that day!
Sunday was a different story however. We awoke to Bethany creeping round the bedroom at the usual 6.15am and sent her packing off back to bed. Disturbing parents with hangovers is kind of like waking a hibernating bear - very unpredictable! Bethany eventually resurfaced about 7am and wouldn't take NO! for an answer.
I on the other hand stayed in bed until about 10am, when I was woken by a hyperactive child wanting to bounce on my head. Again, not wanting to take NO! for an answer, the bouncing began. After a slow start to the remainder of the morning, we mulled over a few places we could visit, and being couped up with the bad weather yesterday, we were both ready to get out.
I say we mulled over somewhere to go, more like played Pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, but with the map. After being committed to wherever we pointed to, I guess it was more like Russian Roulette than a donkey game - we could have easily ended up in the Pacific Ocean.
We decided on a trip to Cape Palliser, which was near one of our favourite places, Martinbrough. We loaded up the car with change of clothes, some snacks and map, then headed off on an adventure. We stopped for petrol and drinks at the local Caltex. One of the most disappointing feelings is buying a car with cup holders, then to find that a standard drinks bottle doesn't actually fit it. Well, not without some improvisation. 
The route was reasonably straightforward, head up State Highway 2, over the Rimtakua Hill road (which was closed due to bad weather the day before), then about 50km's south of the source of our wine addiction.
As usual with a lunchtime drive anywhere, Bethany was asleep in about 10 minutes. That is the longest 10 minutes of your life however with the new CD she likes to listen to!
For those of you that have been to stay with us, you'll recognise the road below! Yes, that's the 13km's of great twisty mountain fun, that only I seem to enjoy. Travel sickness seems to be in abundance for the 20 minutes it takes to get through this range, not for me at least!
Towards Cape Palliser, you start to head off the usual public roads and onto places the map calls roads, but just means Not fields! We had to stop and wait for the cows and their followers to pass at one point, or it would have ended up messy.
The roads towards the point were a combination of gravel and tarmac, and you don't always get warning that the surface is about to change. We had one moment where tarmac turned to gravel, right on a tight left bend. At least we know the brakes work...
The trees and vegetation out in that area is always lush and green, regardless of the weather and temperature.
As we got closer, the green hills turned into what looked like mounds of concrete, volcanic of some description I'm sure.
The 1st glimpse of the lighthouse came as we rounded a bend, having driven through a river. The bridge was out for repairs, so the only option, pick a path through the water and go. 4WD all the way!!
Looking up at the lighthouse, the steps were a daunting task. All 258 of them! Funnily enough, Bethany made it up the full run of steps without help and without a break, which is more than can be said for her parents!
The views from the top were breathtaking, with the cliffs behind you, the only thing ahead was blue sea, and possibly the antarctic a some point!
The lighthouse itself is 18 metres high, and 78 metres above sea level. It began life in 1897 burning oil to produce light, but now the 1000 watt lamp runs on mains power, with a diesel generator as a backup. The light flashes twice every 20 seconds and can be seen for 26 nautical miles (about 48 km). It's been fully automated since 1986, when the lighthouse keeper was withdrawn.
The sun was starting to set as we made our descent, and we were about to get packed up and drive back when Marrisa noticed a seal on the beach. Only, it wasn't a seal, it was a colony of seals!
We spent almost an hour sat around, watching the seal pups playing on the rocks, and seeing the mother bark as we made our way along the beach, trying not to upset them.
Even as we drove along the road, the seals were just laid at the side, soaking up what was left of the Sunday sunshine. We drove slowly back around the coast, looking at the seals, and what was probably the most amazing sunset we've ever seen.
We made our way back to Martinbrough and found a little Thai restaurant for some dinner, before heading back to Wellington.
It's good to be in a situation where you can jump in the car, spend a few hours on fun roads and end up in somewhere awesome.
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