This morning we met at the top of One Tree Hill, a well known Auckland landmark which could now be called “None Tree Hill”, as the one tree that donned the summit for years no longer exists. The view from there is awesome. We ran from the summit down into Cornwall Park.

The 4 km run from here to the first school was but a warm up considering the total mileage we covered today. This school is “home” to one of the runners who is a teacher here. Kids from about twenty different countries came up and said “hello” and “peace” in their native language, a symbolic joining together of people from around the world in the name of peace and harmony amongst all. Being kids, they also loved the stickers we gave out.

The kids at the next school we visited had practised the World Harmony Run song in anticipation of our visit, and sang it so loudly that we couldn’t hear ourselves singing! Chris talked about all of the different people who had held the torch, and about the places the torch has visited, such as the South Pole, and outer space! The kids had lots of questions about these matters.

Back on the road, we ran through Newmarket, on to Karangahape Road, and down Queen Street which is the main street of the inner city. Queen Street was full of life. We came across hundreds of school children in Aotea Square, and handed out hundreds of World Harmony Run stickers.

Everywhere we went people waved, called out, honked their car horns, and some came to join us, carrying the torch for sections of the main drag down to the sea.

What a great way to end the second day of the World Harmony Run in New Zealand!