Life in the Trenches

Our conference ended at 1 p.m. today and our Murchison group didn't fly out until 8.15 - so we had a 'free' afternoon in Wellington.

We opted for the Great War Exhibition, created and financed by Sir Peter Jackson (director of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit), which commemorates the part that New Zealand played in the First World War. It was phenomenal!  

I will definitely be going back because although we walked through it all, I think it is something you can only really grasp and absorb in chunks.  Fortunately it is open for the next three or four years so getting back there shouldn't be a problem.

The plan had been to go to Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand) afterwards but by the time I got there I knew I wouldn't be able to walk much further, so while the others toured the Anzac Exhibition there I took a slow walk down the road to my favourite Wellington shoe shop.  AND I didn't buy any!  Tried a few on but walked out empty handed - very proud of myself.