A highlight of the antipodean abroad's calendar is the national day of their country. Whilst at home, many a kiwi on Waitangi Day, (or an aussie on Australia Day (boo)) would have savoured the day off and headed to the beach or a family picnic or a wee shop. Whilst in London, this is taken all the more seriously and the politics and controversy are thankfully forgotten.
Prepare yourself for 8,000+ drinking kiwis donned in flags, All Black jerseys, swannies, sheep/marmite/shortland street costumes carrying inflatable kiwis, poi and various other NZ icons making their way around 12 or so tube stations for a pint at a local pub at each.
Apparently there are a few rules, such as only taking circle line trains (where all kiwis taking the district line trains that pass through the same stops are met with abuse) and not sitting down or holding onto anything within the train (all the more harder after a beer or five) - but with the circle line closed for engineering works, compromises had to be made.
We joined the escapade at one of the later stops and made our way to Westminster Abbey in time to see anyone keen enough to rip off their shirt and engage in the haka. To get a decent view of this you had to be there well early but we thankfully managed to find a step that was out of the mud to spectate from.
The crowds were massive and the costumes fantastic. Most people seemed well behaved although there was a substantial amount of mud wrestling and drunken sheep running around parliament square. A fantastic example of kiwis having a fab time in London.
We will hear in due course whether the met police appreciated our good behaviour so that this tradition can long continue, but that's another Waitangi Day down and not a beach or a balmy February day in site.
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