BY: Frankie Chee

Movie fans will know it as the "Middle Earth" base for the cast and crew of the award-winning The Lord Of The Rings trilogy.

But the picturesque city of Wellington is also the capital of New Zealand, where the country's Parliament is based.

More than just the perfect backdrop for movie-making, the compact city is a delight for the visitor to explore on foot.

Singaporean Leong Siew Keng, 62, has been a resident there for 20 years and loves its friendly people, beautiful scenery, exciting activities and relaxed atmosphere.

Another plus for the accountant who runs her own business consultancy is that many eateries offer Singapore-style fare.

And for European-style food, she recommends Logan Brown restaurant. The owners, Steve Logan and Al Brown, feature in a TV show called Hunger For The Wild that will be shown here on the Asian Food Channel (StarHub Channel 69) from July 21.

SINGAPOREAN ABROAD IN WELLINGTON WITH...
Leong Siew Keng
Age: 62
Occupation: Accountant
Length of stay: 20 years

GETTING AROUND

The best way to explore Wellington is by...
Taking the bright yellow City Circular Bus and, for NZ$2 (S$2.07), you can get a feel of the top spots and attractions of this very compact city. You can hop off at any of the 10 stops along the way or walk to any place of interest. Cars do stop for pedestrians to cross streets.

The best time to visit is...
December through April - that's when Wellington's notorious galeforce wind-speed drops dramatically, skies are blue and temperatures range between the high 10s and low 20s deg C.

Which places in Wellington excite you?
On a nice day, it's the uniquely attired people coming and going along Cuba Street's character precinct. It's one of the more bohemian areas of Wellington and considered to be the centre of creativity and artistic production, with buskers, exhibitors and a collection of cafes, small fashion stores, art galleries and music shops. Or you can just sit by the waterfront and watch the waves.

FOOD AND WINE

Where can you find food that is close to Singaporean fare?
At least a dozen cafes and restaurants - such as KK Restaurant and Satay Village, both in Ghuznee Street - offer curry laksa, mee goreng, char kway teow, nasi lemak and more, but they are not as good as Tekka Hawker Centre or Newton Circus.

Your favourite breakfast is at...
Caffe L'affare (tel: +64-04-385-9748) in College Street for super coffee, ambience, the vibrance and the cheerful characters of both servers and patrons.

Which are your favourite eating places?
There are lots of them here. For Chinese food, it's Regal Restaurant (tel: +64-04-384-6656) in Courtenay Place. Its steamed blue cod is always perfect. The salt fish brinjal and sambal kangkong is home-cooking at its best.

For a New Zealand or European fine-dining experience, it has to be Logan Brown (tel: +64-04-801-5114) at the corner of Vivian and Cuba streets. It's a not-to-be-missed dining experience in a beautifully refurbished, historic former banking hall. But make your reservations early and be prepared to pay heaps for your meal.

The La Bella (tel: +64-04-566-9303) in Petone and Maria Pia's ( t e l : +64-04-499-5590) in Molesworth Street are good choices for Italian fare. At La Bella, you dine in a converted warehouse, which is also a patisserie and delicatessen. The owner, Antonio, will tell you what you should order that's good. The dishes at Maria Pia's are sumptuous. The owner Pia will even go out of her way to provide fresh pasta and the best olive oil for my vegetarian son's discerning taste.

The coolest place to chill out is...
San Francisco Bathhouse (tel: +64-04-801-6797) in Cuba Street for listening to cool live bands. Good loud sounds
and good vibes. You can get up close and personal with the band, but be prepared to be trampled in the mosh pit.

CULTURE FIX

What's the biggest difference between Singapore and Wellington?
You can drive a battered Toyota, mow the lawn, paint your house or repair the roof and no one cares or stares. There is no social ladder to climb here and no pressure to keep up with the Joneses - it's a more egalitarian society.

People have a high sense of social conscience and impressions of Wellington will be blue skies and unfettered spaces, smiles and greetings from strangers, backyard barbecues, a relaxing time and uncluttered roads.

Wellington's compactness makes living easy and walking everywhere a natural option. It allows one to stop, stand and admire, or have a flat white in one of its many famous cafes.

What do you think Singaporeans will like most about Wellington?
It is a picturesque city with the sea at the forefront and the hills in the background. It's the art and cultural capital of the country. The wide open spaces, the friendliness of its people, the unsolicited "Gidday" from the folk and the diversity of its people are things that Singaporeans will not find back home.

LASTING IMPRESSIONS

Weave along the city's pedestrian-friendly waterfront

What is the one thing you must do in Wellington?
Weave along the city's pedestrian-friendly waterfront and check out the ships and yachts, kayaking, rock-climbing, art galleries and cafes. And, if the wind acts up, hang on tight to the nearest lamp post. For those who enjoy the outdoors, Wellington has many walking treks of interest with various levels of difficulties.

You can take a relaxing walk along the city's waterfront, cycle along the sea front in Eastbourne or take a walk in Makara and tackle a few hill climbs, as well as get your feet wet negotiating rocks and pebbles along the beach.

Where's one place you always take your friends when they visit?
If they are passing through and do not have much time to spare, then a drive up to Mt Victoria for a bird's eye view of Wellington city is a must. On a clear day, you can even get glimpses of the northern tip of the South Island.

If they have a couple of hours to spare, then visit Te Papa Tongarewa - the Museum of New Zealand (+64-04-381-7000).

The sporty ones can do a quick ascent up the 445m-high Mt Kau Kau, where the views of the city, harbour and mountain ranges are spectacular. Jogging shoes will suffice for the climb.

SHOPPING

Where is the best place to go on a shopping spree?
Kirkcaldie & Stains (tel: +64-04-472-5899) in Lambton Quay, which is known for its quality and class. It's probably the equivalent of Robinsons in Singapore.

Almost all the New Zealand designers and labels have a presence in the city and, because the city is small, you can cover it all on foot.

What do you do on your weekends in Wellington?
Mostly play golf, catch up with friends or enjoy a break from work. Some days, we just hop into our four-wheel-drive, go off-road and just get lost.

A LITTLE FURTHER

What other activities are there outside the city?
An hour's drive away is the renowned wine region of Wairarapa. There are a dozen or more vineyards there to delight discerning wine connoisseurs.

For the young or the young at heart, McLeods Quad Adventures (tel: +64-06-306-8846) offers quad-bike rides
(rugged bikes with four wheels) at its farm that time and again has been the highlight for many of our visitors. Be prepared to get dirty though, as you will ride through water, mud and farm tracks while feeling the thrill of freedom and wind in your hair.

This article was first published in The Sunday Times on June 29, 2008.