16/06/2018 - The All Blacks are in the capital

The first night in Wellington was one of the more restless ones. A colony of seagulls had settled on a nearby football field, making a lot of noise throughout the night. But that didn't stop us from starting the new day early and heading to the city center of Windy Welly. Based on our previous experience, we knew that a longer visit to the city center usually meant expensive parking fees, so we didn't plan for a long stay on the first day. We parked our car in the parking garage of the National Museum, which is located right on the waterfront. From here, the city center is easily accessible by foot.
Our first stop was the visitor information center - the I-Site. We had tickets waiting for us there!

The next day, we will be attending a game of the New Zealand Rugby national team. It is a preparation game against France for important tournaments. The rivalry between the two rugby teams has a long history - they first played against each other in 1906.

When we showed the employee our online reservation, she printed out our tickets, so our purpose for coming to the city was fulfilled. However, we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and continue strolling through the high-rise canyons. It was admittedly a strange feeling to be in a big city again. After spending a long time on the peaceful South Island, we had to adjust to the hustle and bustle.
During our city tour, we noticed the decorations on the streets. The capital of New Zealand was eagerly looking forward to the game of their All Blacks. Advertisements at bus stops and All Blacks flags on lampposts reflected the excitement for the upcoming game. Even the 6 o'clock news was all about the All Blacks! We were even more excited for the next day and the game in the evening.

On this morning, we didn't waste any time. We wanted to go to the city early to soak up the atmosphere. We quickly found a parking garage for the day. However, finding a parking space turned out to be quite difficult. With a length of 4.75 meters, our dear Sam was a bit too big for the parking garage. Both the entrance and exit were not suitable for our vehicle size. As a result, we hit the front and side bumpers several times. Ouch! - Luckily, we found a parking space on the 5th floor... ;) - We paid $12/7€ for the 12-hour parking ticket.
As we walked towards the city center, we naturally encountered many fans. A fan camp/festival was set up specifically for the French supporters at the harbor. There was a relaxed and casual atmosphere in the capital.
During the walk, we discovered an underground market that was set up in a parking garage. We browsed through it with beautiful lighting and different scents. In addition to paintings, unique post/birthday cards, and homemade candles, there was a lot on offer.
When we returned to the waterfront promenade, a light drizzle started. So we took refuge in the National Museum of New Zealand - the Te Papa Tongarewa. Six months ago, we were impressed by the variety and exhibitions in the building complex. Today, we were looking for changes and new exhibitions. Not much has changed. The "Mountains to Sea" and "Awesome Forces" exhibitions were closed for renovation. However, a new art exhibition had opened. We took our time to look at the artworks. But a glance at the clock sent us towards the stadium shortly afterwards. We made a brief stop at the car to get warm clothes and some snacks. Then we walked through Wellington's main train station directly to the Westpac Stadium. One thing immediately caught our attention: The atmosphere around the stadium was much more relaxed than in Germany. Music was playing and there was no police in sight!
Unfortunately, it started raining ten minutes before the stadium opened. This made all the waiting fans quite wet. Once the gates were open, the admission went smoothly and uncomplicatedly, as expected. We had previously inquired about the stadium rules and were surprised. We were actually allowed to bring a small water bottle, homemade sandwiches, and even a can of chips into the stadium. Completely crazy and unthinkable in Germany. In addition, stadium visitors are not subjected to any personal searches. They are only asked to open their bags.
After finding our way into the stadium, we looked for our seats. They were on the opposite side. - Another peculiarity of the stadium: All fans and visitors use the same entrance and exit.
More than 1.5 hours before the start of the game, we took our seats in the covered seats. Unfortunately, those who spent more on their tickets were not protected by the stadium roof in their lower rows and were therefore exposed to rain.
After the warm-up of both teams was completed, the anticipation slowly grew and the stadium filled up visibly. Shortly before the start of the game, 95% of the seats were occupied. The All Blacks fans were dressed entirely in black, as expected. But the French supporters were also recognizable on the stands thanks to their flags.
After the team introductions and the entrance, the national anthems of both countries followed. For the first time, we heard the New Zealand national anthem, which surprisingly contains verses in English as well as lines in Maori. Amazing!
Before the game started, the famous Haka was performed! This is a traditional war dance of the Maori. All All Blacks players lined up and performed the ceremony with loud shouts. Ecstasy in the stands! Everyone was thrilled! - Kick-Off! - In advance, we looked into the rules of rugby, so we were able to follow the action on the field. To the surprise of all visitors, the first valid try was actually scored by the French! France was ecstatic. :)
In the 11th minute of the game, an unpleasant scene occurred. A French defender hindered his opponent in the air so much that he fell on his back from a high distance. The referee then called a foul and sent off the French player for this unfortunate defensive action. It is extremely rare for a red card to be shown so early in a game. However, anyone who believed that the French national team would have no chance against the favored All Blacks in a numerical disadvantage was mistaken. They fought with all their might and the halftime score was only 21:06 for New Zealand.

In previous encounters, the halftime score was more clear.

After halftime, the players only did the necessary. Due to a lot of time-wasting by the New Zealanders, a longer flow of play rarely occurred towards the end, which we regretted. But just before the end, the brave French team scored another valid try and their fans had another reason to celebrate.
In the end, the All Blacks, as expected, won convincingly with a score of 26:13. After the final whistle, the teams were bid farewell by their fans and the stadium emptied.
We reached our car around 10:00 PM, struggled out of the parking garage, and arrived at the campsite around 10:45 PM.