On Boxing Day we had our first Waiata, song, practice after breakfast. We learnt the actions to a song called Paikea, the unofficial East Coast national anthem and a song which I recognise well but never knew the words to.

After lunch we headed to a beach called Sponge Bay but when we got there discovered it was high tide and there was no beach to sit on! So we went along the coast a little and found a nice spot in front of a playground for the kids. The water was cool but warmer than Jersey and we had fun bonding with my younger cuzzies. Phil did the unthinkable and went and got himself an ice cream and came back eating it so guess what he was fined for the next morning!

That evening my cousin Phila and his wife Lisa had organised a quiz. We were put in teams and these would be our teams for chores for the next few days. The team Phil was in came first (well come on there were two maori/NZ history rounds and they had Rhys AND Ngaire-Emma his sister) and they got toothbrushes as prizes. My team came second.