We did a two-day trip from home in Wellington, heading towards Cape Palliser in New Zealand. It took about an hour’s drive from Wellington to Featherston, which was scenic with lovely views of the surrounding landscape. The following morning, having spent the night in Featherston, we again started our more-than-one-hour drive toward Cape Palliser.

The voyage had its picturesque scenes, in their own queer way—high mountain ranges, clothed with trees right up their very peaks, bordering the sea, while other open flat plains gave an impression of dullness and stillness.

The famous Cape Palliser Lighthouse stood majestically since the 27th of October 1897 and was, of course, a highlight of our trip. In order to get to the lighthouse, one had to pass over more than 200 steps originally built to replace a very slippery narrow path; therefore, it wasn’t considered too safe to climb up at night. So, the lighthouse is 18 meters high and stands 78 meters above sea level. Its light flashes twice every 20 seconds and can be seen for 26 nautical miles at 48 kilometers. This marvelous building has been fully automated since 1986; it originally used oil as a source for its light, later diesel, then mains electricity in 1967. Having battled our way up, the views presented of the rugged coastline and the expanse of the sea were simply breathtaking.

It added a bit of adventure to our excitement, a seal crossing the road in front of us as we drove along; this was quite unplanned but a wonderful moment that truly made us aware of natural beauty and wildlife in the area.

The trip combined beautiful landscapes, historical importance, and one excellent wildlife encounter.