Waitangi day has become a big deal.
A big, drunken deal.
Note: the tube line is not actually shaped like a kiwi
A lot of people started at Paddington at 10am. That was too too early even for us and we didn't leave the house until 11am. When we got to Paddington there were ... a few people scattered about & we called a friend who was on the crawl and found which station he was at.
We tried to catch up and amazingly, found him amongst all the thousands of people.
We ended up walking half of the tube stops. It was the first day since we've been back in London where (if I was in the sun) I honestly did not need my jacket.
No scarves, hats or gloves were worn. Craig spent the day in a tee-shirt.
Apart from standing outside this pub, and one for a toilet break, we didn't step foot inside a pub all day.
We followed the advice of TNT (the NZ, Australian & South African magazine) and brought our own.
I even brought plastic cups for my wine.
And my camera.
Craig and Chris being the sensible grown ups that they are.
(I'm secretly and less obsessively continuing this mini project)
We got to Parliament square at around 3pm. The haka was scheduled for 4pm.
The crowd grew and grew and grew.
A Sea of Black.
The tv3 cameraman almost pushed me off the wall I was standing on. Not pleased! His boss (and perhaps reporter?) apologised but he (grrr!) did not.
Not that I hold grudges or anything.
ick.
(my new favourite photo of Craig.)
