So, as far as I remember, the trip to Invercargill was on the 30th March 2007. Being a mentor to few International students at University of Otago, meant that I could get a free ride to Invercargill for the super-14 Rugby game between Highlanders(Dunedin based team) and Cheetahs(from South Africa). So we hopped on the bus, around 1pm, with the mentor coordinator and the students.
The place we stayed was the Tuatara backpackers. (Tuatara is called as the living dinosaur and it is found in New Zealand)
The kickoff was at 7:35pm. But before that is when the the Highlander man comes with a sword and does this routine of his. Then the teams come out first the Cheetahs in orange and white then the Highlanders in blue and gold. The following is an example of a line-out like the throw-in in soccer, but unlike soccer few players from the two teams line-up in a straight line and the player throwing the ball has to throw it exactly through the middle. Both the teams jump up to catch the ball. One reason you need few tall guys in the team. This was a well rehearsed, perfect line-out from the Highlanders.
The game is 80min long, two sessions of 40min. each. So when you are at the stadium the half time is very exciting. The cameramen focus their lens on couples and the big screen broadcasts them and the crowd encourages them to kiss.
Well back to the game the Highlanders won by 21 to 17. We all went back to Tuatara backpackers. Next to it is the Speights Ale House so we got together and had a good time there.
This is Invercargill in the night.
Next morning was wet but beautiful and we all started for Bluff, the southernmost town in the South Island of New Zealand.
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