Most would think a beer, maybe some shopping and definitely four days of rest and relaxation would be the first thoughts of any sailor newly arrived in port.
Not so for the New Zealanders on board the frigate HMNZS Te KaHa and her support vessel, the HMNZS Endeavour, which arrived in Hong Kong yesterday.
Shortly after dropping anchor in the harbour, the Te KaHa was ringing to the sound of Rerenga Wairua, a traditional Maori love song, and E hoki mai ra, about homecoming and the importance of your loved ones. And first port of call in Hong Kong for many on the ships was not a bar in Wan Chai for a repeat screening of the All Black's victory over Australia, but the Hong Kong Cultural Centre for another performance. There were several other shows planned during the five-day visit, most featuring the world-famous haka, or Maori war dance.
While the Te KaHa has served in war zones from East Timor to the Persian Gulf, these sailors consider themselves not just warriors but ambassadors for the Land of the Long White Cloud.
'Maori songs and the haka are an embedded part of New Zealand culture,' said the Te KaHa's commanding officer, Commander Andy Grant.
'They have been with the ships since there has been ships. It's something that we all feel inside. These are stories we all learned from childhood. Warships will come and go but this is something you will only see on a New Zealand ship.'