They take rugby oh so very seriously in New Zealand. The first time I found this out was the rugby tour I did of the country six years ago, we did not do so well. I made the mistake of wearing my Wasps rugby jersey to the NZ – Oz Tri Nations cup game, and because it has the same colours on it as the Australian kit I was in for a night of abuse.
Watching an All Backs rugby game in New Zealand is an event I would recommend to anyone heading over there. The atmosphere is excellent. Especially when they completely decimate their opponents 49 – 28! I was lucky to be watching the game in Christchuch, which is one of the biggest cities in the country, it meant that the bar we got into was bursting at the seams with black topped, very large New Zealanders. Of course, when in a situation like this, you get behind the home nation, and the game itself was great. If only Six Nations rugby was half as good as this!
The Greatest scenery to run in... ever
After the one night I had in Christchurch it was quickly up the East Coast. Kaikoura is a very nice, but very quite little town on the coast. The main things that people can do there is Whale watching and swimming with dolphins. Of course, if the weather is terrible (which it was) it will ALL get called off. At which point you find out that there is nothing else to do. So I went on a run. There is nothing like running along the edge of the Pacific ocean with snow capped mountains in the distance! Turns out my knees haven’t actually fully recovered from the marathon… that was four months ago… doctors when I’m back at home me thinks.
The next day we headed just outside this small fishing town to the seal birthing grounds. I can’t tell you how great it is to sit next to a baby seal and watch as it tries to eat your hoodie!
Hungry seals trying to eat my hoodie
Crossing between the islands of New Zealand is long and very boring. Make sure you bring along a deck of cards, or a movie of some kind. Do not bring a Frisbee and think that you can play it on the deck. You will lose it. You might think this was common sense and you are probably right.
Safely on the North Island I pulled into Wellington, the capital. And while it is the capital there is not actually much to do there in the way of backpacker lifestyle, but it does have some great places to eat. Go to Sweet Mamas kitchen and grab a basket of curly fries. Cheap and very tasty!
Off to Taupo tomorrow and Rotorua after that. I am told that it gets pretty smelly the further north you go thanks to the thermal springs all over the place. Something to look forward to then!
Matt M
STA UK WTI 2010
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