Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Waitangi Day 2020 (for the overseas readers, Waitangi Day commemorates the signing of our country's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840).
"Today we pray for our people, our history and our future. On this 180th Waitangi Day let us pledge to take a step across the bridge between our peoples. Give us the perseverance in our daily lives to commit to a simple action that helps take us to the other side."
Below at Waitangi with daughter Neve who has just turned one.
A political commentator suggests Waitangi Day 2020 was the least political in years with the Government looking to foster togetherness and harmony. "In stark contrast to previous years where mud-slinging and dildo-throwing have dominated, New Zealand's national day this year, and the days leading up to it, were mostly drama-free."
A Waka celebration 2020.
We woke to find there had been serious floods in Southland. The road was blocked from Invercargill to Queenstown, our next destination.
"A state of emergency was declared in flooded Southland on Tuesday, including Gore, and dozens of people were rescued from tracks in Fiordland after being cut off by torrential rain. Some of the rescued tourists described a narrow escape with just two minor injuries after a slip swept into the wall of their hut, crushing bunk beds and completely destroying a block of five toilets."
Hundreds more people were trapped by flooding and slips in Milford Sound, some were evacuated by helicopters on Wednesday. This was the Milford road.
There was a chance we could get through to Queenstown from Invercargill by the end of the day, but we'd have to wait it out. Lachie also had to look for the key to Alistair and Ali's car that had gone missing . . .
Kaka on deck while I was packing at the South Seas hotel.
Anna waiting for ferry.
Daniel and Mahkaila waiting for the ferry.
Milford Sound is closed by the floods, so this cruise ship that was going to Milford Sound diverted to Stewart Island.
The ferry trip again.
By late afternoon the road to Queenstown did open.
So the youngies drove to Queenstown in Anna's car after a bit of a hiccup. Lachie and Chiara had borrowed my Fiat to tour the South Island. The Fiat had broken down just out of Queenstown on their way to Invercargill. There was no cell phone coverage and they joined AA to get the Fiat towed to get fixed in Queenstown. The bus from Queenstown to Invercargill was full, flights were $276 each! Alistair and Ali, who Lachie and Chiara had stayed with in Queenstown, had very kindly loaned them their Prada so they could make our rendezvous in Invercargill for the Stewart Island trip. The Prada was big and the Fiat tiny. Too big for Lachie. He misplaced the key. Well, so he thought. He felt he could not lose a key. He thought he would find it. After a lot of looking and retracing steps still no key. He thought he would have another go at finding it after our Stewart Island trip. Still no key. So the youngies drove to Queenstown and the oldies stayed a night in Invercargill, and Lachie would drive back early tomorrow morning with Alistair's spare key. Then the three of us would drive both the Prada and Anna's Mazda Varissa to Queenstown.
Bill and I stayed in the Ascot Park hotel in Invercargill. We went for a short walk to the Ascot Park racecourse nearby - a trotting track, galloping track and greyhound track all in one. Bill and I had been here before. Our very good pacer Blossom Lady won the Invercargill Trotting Cup twice (in the 1990's), and one of those times we had been the only ones from the syndicate there to receive the trophy.
