The last two weeks...

Last weekend I went to a Murder-Mystery birthday party, that was set like we were all at a school reunion. We all had to dress up like school students and then had different roles, etc. My role was House nerd, or SWOT.

Yesterday, we headed down to Wellington to have lunch with Donal. It is so nice to have him back in New Zealand, as he has been back in Ireland for most of this year. He is working for WETA workshop, who is the company that did all the Lord of the Rings cool effects and designs as well as King Kong and lots of others. He says there are cool replicas of characters from all these movies all over his workplace.
We then went to the World Press Photo exhibit which has award winning photos taken by journalist around the world from the last year. ONe of the most incredible photos was of a family in China who were busy cooking in their kitchen, with the countertop all tidied and cleaned off to cook from, but there were no walls to the kitchen. Nor was there anything but rubble in the rest of the photo. (It was taken after the big earthquake in China last year). But in the midst of all the destruction, this family were using the only space they had left to cook dinner. Just amazing.
After that Bryce and I went for a walk around a forest in the middle of the city called Otari-Wilton's Bush. We hiked up to see an 800 year old rimu tree, the oldest in Wellington.

After that, we made it up to Otaki to see the Pram College canoe polo team play in the finals of their competition. Neat game similar to soccer or hockey, with the net being above the water and everyone in a pool with kayaks. Great day.

Marking and packing today and then off to sunny Las Vegas tomorrow!!