Napier- Hawke's Bay NZ

The third leg of our adventure was to Napier. This was where the Canada vs. Japan Rugby World Cup game was being held- the whole reason for our trip!! 
After a long winding bus ride, Guelph and myself arrived in Napier. We checked in and met up with Chicago and Denmark in the hostel. Then the three of us went for ice cream and drinks to talk about the trip. 
The next morning we grabbed breakfast (I finally found a place with a fruit pie! In Australia the pies are filled with meat). Then wandered around the town, picked up our tickets and dressed up for the game. We also discovered a Canadian Hut in the city centre where you could write messages to the players. There was also animal pelts and antlers inside. Guelph and I were interviewed by a local radio stations as Canadians that came for the game and were asked about what we thought of the town.
 Napier were big supporters of Canada as their were flags everywhere! It felt like Canada Day and was nice to feel at home away from home.

Breakfast 

Canada Hut

If I had antlers...

Napier is right on the edge of Hawke's Bay. It was destroyed in an earthquake and was rebuilt in the 70s in the style of Art Deco (which I thought was not very attractive).  But it was nice to be so close to the water. We walked along the Bay most of the way to the rugby game and stopped to take some Canadian pictures.

Myself and Guelph Hawk's Bay before us

The game was very exciting and ended in a tie 23-23. Canada came back and was very close to winning in the end but we ran out of time. I'm not sure what was more fun to watch, the players or the fans! Everyone was dressed up to support their team- Sumo wrestlers and samaris for the Japanese and Lumberjacks and maple leafs for the Canadians.

Best $30 I've ever spent

Koi fish costumes

This guy ran up and pretended to stab us. After he took a picture with each of us he said "I am a happy man!"

3 canadians and all from Ontario

Canada going for a try

Final score

We were sitting in the general admission section at the edge of the field. Guelph, Newmarket and I waited long enough that the players did a lap around the edge and stopped to sign our flags and take photos with us at the end of the game. I've never met someone of celebrity status or a major athlete in person before so I was very excited to take my picture with Hubert Buydens of Saskatchewan and have 6 members sign my flag.

Buydens was part of the Rugby beard growing group, which was big gossip amongst Canadians- although from what I hear, other nationalities dont do playoff beards. Buydens whole right eye was red with blood and he was closing it for most pictures- rough sport!

Hubert Buydens post game

Our prized flags

After the game we went for dinner and then back to the hostel to play cards the whole night. The boys were flying out at 6am and hadnt booked a hostel thinking they would pull an all-nighter or sleep in the airport. Unfortunately, when they got to the Napier domestic airport at 3am it was CLOSED! And didn't open until 6am. They poor boys had a cold night but they were still in good spirits. The other girls met them at the airport in the morning as their flight was also around 6am. That left poor me to sleep in, check out and spend a few ours reading on the beach before my flight. It's a rough life...

After this photo I grabbed some sushi and went to the airport where I was suprised to find there was NO SECURITY! Apparently New Zealanders don't need to search bags on domestic flights as I just walked into the terminal, checked in via the machine and then walked to my gate. It blew my mind as I routinely get frisked and wait in never ending lines flying from Ottawa to London.

I flew from Napier to Christchurch and then Christchurch to Queenstown, our last destination of the trip!