Wellington

Just spent 2 great days in Wellington where we were looked after by Mark and Louise - who made us feel really welcome. Arrived for the World Rugby 7s (no, I'd never heard of it either) where everyone is in fancy dress, so we felt at home. Also it was Waitangi day - the signing of the treaty between Maori and Settlers - so a big party in the park. Welly Wood (as it's known - big film place apparently) is full of public art, big on Maori history, got fantastic areas to live (great clapboard houses with porches overlooking the harbour on the hills), kooky art house cinemas, great cafes and crazy people diving off the public art (which is prolific) into the harbour. It's here we learned that the Maori are not indigineous (can't spell that) to NZ, they came from the Pacific Islands about 700-800 yrs ago, were made up of tribes and decided to make a deal with Cook and his Brit mates about land - not to say that they weren't stitched up by the Brits, cos they were (yes, we'll have mount cook for a couple of blankets) as well as slaughtered and there are still land claims going on today. The treaty also has poetic licence (says different things in each language). But there is a strong and achieving desire to enhance, celebrate and maintain this dual culture and also celebrate the diversity of the cultures from all the Pacific islands. By the way, we can thank Louise (primary school teacher - helped to simplify it for us two thickies) and the amazing Te Papa museum where we spent a good few hours on Sunday. Off to traverse a dangerous volcano now....