Day 67 Gisborne (Beach, Tairawhiti Museum and Backgammon)

Off to the beach again this morning. Met a lady who has lived in Gisborne all her life and at the ever youg age of seventy or so years she goes swimming most days and is very good at it. Now was my chance to ask someone about the breathing technique to swim and armed with the info (remember to breathe out under the water so you can breathe in being the key) I set about practicing in the sea like a distressed dolphin. I'll get there. I'll get there.

I'd been looking forward to visiting the local museum on Sharon's recommendation and it did not dissapoint. The main displays explained about Maori culture having arisen from Polynesians arrving centuries ago on boats to New Zealand and then the arrival of Captain Cook in 1759 where the first place they stopped was Gisborne. The Maori put on their welcome dance (you will all know it as the threatening gesturing magnificent display) which Cooks men took as an attack and promptly shot some of the poor Maori. Cook left Gisborne in a bad mood and named the place "Poverty Bay" on account of it not delivering anything up. Obviously the next place he stopped further up the coast he named the "Bay of Plenty" as he managed to get a tin of fanta and a crunchie there.

In the evening I finally had the mystique of backgammon explained to me by Arran and a tournament commenced. The toffees (thanks Rob and Lou), beer, twiglets and ferrero rockets were hardly touched in the making of this picture.. Indeed the instructions leaflet accompanying the rather sophisticated backgammonset set gifted to Arron by his Dad states "It is said you can learn the fundamentals of the game in thirty minutes but its a life's work to learn the secrets of the strategy of backgammon." Get practicing everyone I'll be looking for a game when I get home!