While we haven’t been going to any of the games in the Rugby World Cup taking place in New Zealand at the moment we have been out and about in Wellington during a couple of the big weekends for games. The All Blacks versus Canada pool match was played on the same day as the Wellington leg of the Scott Kelby World Wide Photowalk and there were lots of things happening in the city including just about the whole New Zealand Navy in the harbour as part of their 70th anniversary celebrations.
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
We met at the designated meetup point and then the group was off taking photos. I had already planned to divert from the prescribed path and before long we had lost everyone else, seeing only a couple of people along the way and at the end. I wasn’t that surprised, there was so much going on that walking in a group wasn’t really the best way to see everything. We went to two markets, walked past at least half a dozen Navy ships (though we didn’t get to board any due to the long queues), watched a sheep shearing demonstration, watching fish being bought from a boat, briefly talked to two tape artists making a giant mural on the side of Te Papa, walked through the fan zone to see a man dressed as batman watching a soul singer on the stage, were part of the massive crowds, took photos of the massive crowds, saw a seal on the waterfront, heard accents from multiple countries, enjoyed some of the costumes people were wearing for the rugby, watched a flight display from the Red Checkers (why are the aircraft yellow?), considered going ice skating but settled for just watching others make it look easy and walked a lot.
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
We were also in the city before the recent South Africa verses Australia quarter final. Catherine had arranged a picnic at the Dell in the Botanical Gardens and we had a nice morning of catching up with friends and eating in the sun. Later we caught the Woolshed Sessions playing in the Courtney Place fan zone and their country/folk tunes suited the mellow atmosphere perfectly.
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn
Photo by Brendon & Keryn