Back in Wellington, New Zealand

On Monday it was time to leave Australia and head to New Zealand.  I was definitely ready for some Nat time in Wellington.

Tünde make a piggy bank in kindergarten for her godmother and tasked me with hand delivering it.  I'd been carrying this thing in my suitcase all across Australia but the package made it safe and sound.

Fortunately there was no earthquake this time so we had the opportunity to do some of the sightseeing we missed out on the last time including a tour of the parliament.  Unfortunately, no photography is allowed inside.

The National Library has a new exhibition called He Tohu which is made of three parts - a declaration, a treaty, and a petition.

The Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand, He Whakaputanga was signed in 1835.  It is the country's first constitutional document declaring New Zealand as an independent Māori nation.

The Treaty of Waitangi, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, is the country's founding document which was supposed to be a partnership between the Māori and the British Crown.



A 274-metre (899 foot) long petition, with 25,521 signatures, was delivered to parliament in 1893 demanding universal suffrage.

It's been 125 years since New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant all women the right to vote in parliamentary elections.  It's incredible that the Kiwis did it in 1893 but women in the USA and the UK couldn't vote until after WWI.

We only had a couple of days in Kiwiland but it was great to spend time with Nat and her parents.  If only Wellington wasn't on the other side of the world.