Here you'll find my thoughts about life, travel, books and, because I love a laugh, the occasional spoof. All this from the perspective of a small town, on an island, in a country that's too close to the Antarctic for comfort.
Nau Mai, Haere mai. Come on in!
“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.” – G.K.Chesterton On Thursday I flew to Wellington (NZ) for work, as I sometimes do. The airport is notorious; the […]
My Dear Dream Reader, You may remember a post from our road trip, all about Mount Taranaki. After days of waiting he finally revealed his true glory. And I showed my appreciation by clicking hundreds of photos on my phone. From each new vantage point I snapped […]
Begin at the beginning they say but for this post I’m beginning at the end. We were home, the first load of washing in the machine, our dog still running about the place with excitement and a dash of relief at our return, and I had a cup […]
Completing our Loop the Loop of the Central North Island It was a cracker day for the last of our holiday. A slight frost, steam rising from the hillsides as the sun warmed the paddocks, not a breath of wind – Joni Mitchell on the playlist, the road […]
Opunaki to Te Kuiti: The story of a remarkable sales pitch and how there is always room for one more custard square. The small town of Piopio is about twenty-seven kilometres from Te Kuiti. What Piopio lacks in population (Wikipedia says 468 people lived there in 2001) it […]
All Good Things Come to Those Who Wait! Today has been all about the volcano. Taranaki finally revealed himself and I am enchanted. These are the best four of the 100+ photos I took with my iPhone today.
Stratford to Opunaki: A History Lesson and a Little Bit of Lit to Boot! We travelled a long way today: thirty-six kilometres. At this rate we’ll have to extend our holiday by another week.The good news is that the weather on this side of Mt Taranaki is warmer […]
Leaving the Forgotten World Highway turns out to be a culture shock. This morning I was woken by the sound of a rooster crowing. The last time that happened was in Nong Khai – a year and half ago! It’s quiet at Whangamomona. The word means valley of […]
The Forgotten World Highway: Taumarunui to Whangamomona Highway 43 takes you through heartland New Zealand. It’s remote. There’s no petrol station, no shops. We allowed ourselves a day and a half for a drive that, without stops, should take around two and half hours. Kilometres travelled: 87 Time […]
In which the shearing capital of the world is bypassed and pride goes before a fall. Te Kuiti didn’t get much of a look-in today. We filled up there, petrol tank as well as stomachs, and moved on. The day was all about the Waitomo Caves. They are […]
Jill's Scene 
The korero