The Lion(s), the Kiwi and the Forest

Ahh Wellington

This weekend began earlier than planned, as our friend Kiwi flew into Wellington at around 00:00 on Thursday/Friday, rather than Friday/Saturday as we originally expected! He explored Wellington as we finished the working week, and the city gradually filled up with Lions fans here to watch the second Saturday test against the All Blacks.

Pre flight confusion we’d arranged to head to Matt and Phoebe’s for dinner. We washed down some lovely lasagne with wine they’d recently tasted in the Wairarapa, and headed home to meet a merry Kiwi who had been making friends in Wellington’s Irish bars.

Japanese hotcake with
edible flowers

We’d wisely booked in an early morning session at Adrenaline Forest to blow away any cobwebs, although Kiwi was a little unwell and not so good with heights so opted out.  Safely harnessed, we balanced, zip-lined and jumped through the trees for a few hours. I then went off to lose a football match (1-0) while Dora, Matt and Phoebe returned to Wellington for lunch at Flight Hangar with a recuperated Kiwi.

Our rendezvous was at the Wellington Rugby Fan Zone, where Dora was catching up with an old Cambridge friend – originally from Christchurch – who she hadn’t seen in several years. Once those with tickets for the game (read: all our Welly friends) had left, we snuck away from the rain up to the first floor of Mac’s Brew Bar, where a poorly policed private function was watching the game. We bumped into Brits Lydia and Jack (last seen at Matt and Phoebe’s housewarming) and collectively enjoyed the Lions’ narrow win with a noisy 50:50 crowd. Kiwi joined many other kiwis in his shocked horror at an All Blacks loss.

Tadhg talks in detail about the Lions pack

Everyone loves Beauden

Central Wellington was abuzz following the game, and we revelled in the atmosphere until tiredness took us to bed at 1.30am. Seven hours later Dora bravely headed off to prepare the Lions press conference. [Dora] This time we saw Rowntree eat journalists alive, Tadhg Furlong remind us that if you didn’t meet the ABs head on they’d beat you, Faletau forget which way he came in, and Jamie George joke that his family had all gone home assuming they wouldn’t need to stay until the final test. After I left the office, I happened to be outside the Intercontinental to see Kieran Read, Beauden and Geordie Barratt and Steve Hansen get on the big All Blacks bus. They were glowing compared to the mellow Lions!

 

[Roger] Kiwi and I wandered out later, for a bacon and egg roll, a walk up Mt Vic and a Sunday lunch with friends (where Dora rejoined us). An evening of popcorn and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them provided a calming closure to the weekend.

Unfortunately work kept me from seeing Kiwi off on Monday night, but he and Dora indulged in a strong Monday night of takeaway pizza, the TV that comes after the News and shortbread baking, of which 80% burnt due to Dora still being hypnotized by TV.

This week we’ll be recovering, working, swimming, studying and preparing for a weekend that holds much promise: the final leg of the Lions tour, a hen party for Dora and … [drum roll] my birthday.