So today I have done exciting stuff – laundry, printing out and posting off my proxy voting form – and been to Waitangi, home of the Waitangi Treaty, promulgated in 1840 between the British crown and representatives of the Maori people. Remarkably civilised for its time – especially in light of how we took over a lot of other people’s countries – but the English and Maori versions were worded slightly differently and the immigrants then spent the next 100 years or so completely ignoring it. Ah well.

Also interesting is the fact that Maoris visited the UK in the 1820s and 1830s, having interviews with George IV and William IV and getting a linguist at Cambridge to create written Maori. Our guide round the treaty site – young bloke, very Kiwi – was very pleased to tell us that Prince Charles opened the visitors centre and that the Queen had planted a tree on her first visit in 1954. Is also odd to have the Queen on the currency – I keep thinking I’m giving them the wrong thing.

Saw the biggest ceremonial war canoe made – 40 rowers on each side and 40 spares down the middle, a Maori ceremonial house and saw my 7th (approximately) Haka in the last 3 weeks.