Who needs geography when you can see axe muskets and play Maori vs. Pakeha on old battle sites?
Seriously though. History trip was a most excellent choice in winding down post-exam. Two mini buses (one being a giant blue blob), four teachers, twenty-something students and fun times.
First stop was Pukekohe East, a church whose grave stones has bullet holes. Intense Maori vs. Pakeha times. Jana taught us how to avoid being attacked by evil spirits. Cleaning hands with water after = protection. Then a brief stop at everyone's favourite rest stop- Bombay Hills - to smell butter chicken and buy $4.50 pizza sticks. Why? "Because they're so big!"
By the way, I'm recounting this on pure memory, not that booklet, seeing as I've lost it. If you have mine. It'd be great if I could have it back. Great.
Anyway, on the road again we make a stop at Alexandra Redoubt. Another cemetery. More holy water to throw over our heads. Here we get to see a pretty legit trench system and for some reason several random graves. Stew-Dawg probs said why but I was too busy finding crazy grave sites such as 'man at bottom of graveyard where the forest meets - buried in 1888 because he died in his sleep'... Fun times had by all but no photo here - because graveyards are quite frightening.
Next stop. Mercer via Pokeno - aka. potentially in the top three of best ice cream towns. I have to say a big thank you to the Indian fellows who gave us a butter chicken, rice and SALAD special for $8. Love being a student.
Carrying right on. Stop at Rangi-shoot. Memory fail. But it's an awesome vantage point in a stink town and - it's where many a gang sign was pulled behind the backdrop of splendid rolling hills.
Skip to Te Awamutu where our marae was more intense than we thought it would be. Super nice with... interesting carvings. Really though. Exquisite. Dinner of five-vege nachos and dessert of ice cream. Win. Followed by a movie - Rewi's Last Stand. Now, as much as I love film, I was reeeaaalllyyy tired so no disrespect to the gods of film but I fell asleep mid-battle scene. All good. I was however, very awake for Kingitanga aka Mafia. Who did we have? Mafia: three badass chiefs Hongi Heke, Te Kooti and some other badass. Angel aka Taniwha (taniwha noise): Rev. Samuel Marsden and the useless detective: James Busby; Busby, not the player. Fun had by all, good call Rose on picking Giles over Riley as the last of the kingitanga.
We awaken to the creaky cries of the marae... (Quote courtesy of Greg) and have a breakfast of cornflakes, scrambled eggs and real butter. Thanks go to the boys for a good clean up while the girls were in the kitchen COOKING SOME EGGS.
Last on the itinerary was a morning out with Mr. Reilly the curator. Compelling storytelling. Drove through rolling scenery to this, actually, really nice church building. They have cushioned pews.
St. Pauls who stole the giant stained glass window of St. Pauls Auckland. OMGsh Facts.
Finally, after an epic KFC ultimate burger meal and a Californian roll we were off. I had a great couple of hours to train my pokemon while everyone else caught up on some good ol' sleep.
Real keen for the Bay of Islands trip.
Hope history repeats.
