Waitangi Day

Lost? Here, let us help you.

After finishing a half day shifting furniture on Saturday, I decided to pop along to the famous (or infamous) Waitangi Day Circle Line Pub Crawl. I didn't have very high expectations, assuming that by my 2pm arrival, with a 10am start, I'd just be embarrassed for my country as young alcoholics gave us a bad name. But not at all!

What I witnessed was the most touching display of patriotism I've ever seen. The COSTUMES!!! Oh, they were better than brilliant. Filled with utter shame that I hadn't brought one of my own, I turned my wool lined jacket inside out and told people I was a sheep, but deep down I knew I'd failed my country and still feel the burn.

But it was a walk down memory lane! A full staff of Georgie Pie crew, Mr Whippy, a packet of Maggi Onion Soup Mix (yes, these were all costumes), Kiwis, Sheep, The Longest Drink In Town, and moving on to more recent figures like Lord, Alamein aka Shogun of the Crazy Horse gang (see movie: Boy) and the beached as whale, bobbing above wherever the crowd was thickest.

Sadly, that didn't actually have any pies.

Also, weren't serving shakes.

We moved down to Westminster Abbey by 4pm where a Haka was rumoured to be happening. I unbuttoned my shirt cuffs in preparation, in case I had to get bare-chested quickly, but the crowd was too thick for most to see it and join in - the Haka bit, not the bare-chested bit. Disappointed we couldn't contribute to the Haka, Jamie suggested we kick of the National Anthem instead. With my big voice booming it triggered a surge and I'm going to say hundreds joined us. Who can prove me wrong? It was loud, anyway.

"Oh I'm beached as..."

I was proud of my people. The police present had all volunteered for the event and seemed to be having almost as much fun as we were. They found Helen's wallet and phone (dangerous combination case) after it fell in the crowd. Her life had instantly unraveled for 5 minutes until they were reunited. I think I was more relieved for Jamie than Helen. Does anyone not know my wonderful friends Jamie and Helen? Great couple and my largest London magnet.

After drinking half the night on Saturday, I was feeling decidedly hung over when I turned up on my bicycle to shift furniture early Sunday morning. Having thrown up a desperate breakfast of water (must hydrate!) I gingerly worked my way through a McD's hash brown but couldn't manage the muffin as well, for fear it would revisit while I carried someone else's furniture up and down stairs, up and down stairs, up and down stairs...

I've been working just over a week now for Kiwi Movers. The pay isn't great and the hours aren't regular or promised, but it's been fantastic for seeing into the home and lives of some of the richer elite of London. You know, the sort who pay other people to shift their furniture and buy 3000 pound lamps - a very stressful delivery. They didn't actually pay that for it (RRP), they got it for the special low price of 1450 pounds! What a huge saving!

The best part is we work out of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Building. Think Hogwarts. This thing is absolutely beautiful. It was built in 1858, "intended for the education and training of 300 orphan daughters of soldiers, seamen and marines that perished in the Russian War." Sounds like a warm thought, but there was no heating for the winter, group showers with a hose in the courtyard and the preferred cure or preventative measure for head lice was to keep all of the girls shaved bald.

Currently no snow, but this is what a better photographer managed to snap once.

It became a hospital for 1800+ soldier patients during WWI, returned to schooling purposes, then in WWII it was the London Reception Centre. What does that vague name mean? Not warm welcomes. It was an alien clearing station for MI6, Britain's leading counter espionage organisation that oversaw deportations, interrogations, imprisonment and executions of many, many suspected/confirmed spies. The walls there hold many secrets, strange and sad. A wondrous place to mull over an ale at the in-house pub. It now houses a drama and performing arts schools, several small leased offices, including Kiwi Movers, and has residential rooms for rent - upgraded from the early days, they now have heated, self contained units, private showers and they

let you keep your hair.

The Courtyard - No more group showers, sadly.

I'll be trying my hand as a kitchen hand this Friday at The Garden Shed Pub - A new Kiwi owned premise that specializes in gourmet pizzas. If I feel it's not going well, I suppose I'll just run off with some gourmet pizzas. Can't really lose.