NewZeaLinz: Wellington Sevens 2012!

Has it already been a WHOLE YEAR since Wellington Sevens Rugby?
You betcha!
My gal Lyndsay scored me a ticket to the sold out event, and off I was on a Friday evening after work on a jet plane to Wellington!

I wish I had a photo- At my baggage carousel at the Wellington airport, there was a grown man wearing a head to toe "Tigger" Costume. Y'gotta love Sevens Weekend in Welly!

Lyndsay and I went as Hula Gals.

We kept our costumes simple and cheap. And cool, as the weather in Welly was forecasted to be BEAUTIFUL! (a lie, unfortunately)

Always heaps of creative costumes... Check out these mermaids!

Skirts made from CD's! Love it!

The downtown was hopping when we arrived. I don't know what half these costumes were, but check out the crazyness just walking into the stadium!

Hell-oooooo Lego-men!

Loofah girls!

Bert must've been in the line for the bathrooms :)

The fans fill the stadium!!

The USA section was sparse.. but spirited!! (these seats filled up by the evening, though!)

Speaking of US representation, Donovan made an appearance!

And so did Brett! (he was looking mighty tan) ;)

I made sure to get my photo with these crazy STEELERS!!!

(these guys had no clue where Pittsburgh even was!)

The absolute BEST most creative costume went to this guy....

The pic isn't great, but he was wearing glasses and a suit.. and floating up in the air is a house with a bunch of helium balloons floating in the sky... If you don't get the reference, you must go and rent the movie "Up" right now!!

Oh yes, in addition to the huuuge costume party, there was actually some rugby being played!

And of course, New Zealand won the whole thing... fireworks, cheers, etc etc.

Another AWESOME Sevens Experience!

The Monday afterwards was Waitangi Day. It's a public holiday on February 6 which celebrates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, NZ's founding document, originally signed in 1840.

Lyndsay took me to Wrights Hill Fortress, which is only open four days a year (Waitangi Day being one of them, of course!)

Wrights Hill Fortress is a long-range coastal battery built to protect Wellington City from possible enemy attack from the Pacific in WWII. Building began in in 1942, and the whole project (streets, electricity, plumbing, artillery, etc) was kept a secret. In 1944, two huuuuuge guns (canons) were installed by the army--- 9.2 inch guns! Each of these puppies could fire a 380 POUND shell up to 18 miles into the Wellington Harbour. This shelter never had to be used for real in wartime but the Army got permission to fire the gun once after WWII had ended. Three rounds were fired into the Cook Strait, some of the windows of the battery were shattered, but no other significant damage. AMAZING for such a huge gun!

Anyhoo, the fortress was neat. Tunnels and tunnels--- like a maze, all underground!