EDITORIAL: A capital reason to return home

I've spent too long in Wellington this past week.
It's not that I dislike Wellington, it's just that I'd rather be in Hawke's Bay. However, a couple of trips to Wellington were necessary for family reasons, the latest being yesterday.
You can't beat Wellington on a good day they say. Well yesterday was a good day, the harbour was sparkling as we drove into the capital, people were arriving at an inner-city market and the cafes were open.
But, darn, it was bitingly chilly. We nearly caught hypothermia dashing to grab a coffee on Cuba Street where the locals exhibited the same mandatory dress code of excessive tattooing, piercing of every body part imaginable and tights tucked into Doc Martens (men or women) as has been fashionable there forever it seems.
It was a whirlwind visit and a pleasure to leave because driving back to the Bay confirmed once again that where we live beats the city hands down.
The sun glinted off Te Mata Peak and the water glistened along the Cape Coast on the final stretch to home. It made me think, yet again, what a stunning addition to the New Zealand Cycle Trail the planned Landscapes loop will be.
Hawke's Bay has received $1.88 million for development of the Landscapes Trail which will run under Te Mata Peak and along the coast, offering views of the Tuki Tuki river and down to Cape Kidnappers. It's going to be a stunner.
Full marks to the Hawke's Bay Regional Council which, along with Venture Hawke's Bay, led the bid to secure Government funding for the Landscapes Trail.
Because if there's one thing we do like from Wellington, it's a slice of their money for Hawke's Bay.