New Kiwis


We've had a new addition this month to the NZ whanau, as my Mum has arrived for her well deserved retirement in the Kiwi sunshine. She lived in New Zealand in the 1960s and is amazed by how it has changed. Her last visit was exactly 30 years ago in 1976, when Auckland was a laid back little city of around 500,000 people.

Since then the city has become a sprawling mass of 1.7 million people spread amonsgt the isthmus, almost a full third of the country's population. Mum's appalled by the rampant subdivisions and blocks of characterless flats they have crammed into the CBD. It's one of the reasons we live out west of Auckland by the Waitakere Ranges. Why be surrounded by concrete like in the UK, when you can have a rainforest on your doorstep? Even so Auckland is still gorgeous compared to overseas megacities, and I love the way the Sky Tower gives character to the skyline.

I'm taking Mum off for a roadtrip up north today, to see Orewa, Wellsford and Warkworth. Even though Auckland city has sprawled as soon as you head up north things become more familiar and Kiwi. We're staying at my favourite bolt hole in the north island Pakiri Beach, and I'm pleased to say that since they stopped dredging the sand there the perfect surf has come back. The area is teeming with sea life as are the surrounding areas thanks to the local Goat Island marine reserve which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Down the road is Leigh Sawmill Cafe, an old converted sawmill that now offers accommodation, good food and live music. If you are a fan of ex-pat Kiwi Russell Crowe then you can catch his new band The Ordinary Fear of God at Leigh Sawmill Cafe on Thursday March 30th and at SKY City Auckland on the 31st March.

Go Kiwis!
Congratulations to Richard Taylor of the wonderful Weta for joining a v exclusive club with his fifth win at the Oscars. I also highly recommend everyone watch The World's Fastest Indian , a heart-warming tale about a nutty old Kiwi who engineered a 1920's motorcyle to break the world's landspeed record. It was only originally designed to go around 50 miles an hour, but with engineering genius, perserverance and good old Kiwi charm he took the old girl over 200 miles an hour. The record he broke in 1967 still stands today. Oh and make sure you have some tissues handy...