Mark Moxon, a travel writer, explores my country and makes me homesick ... then again, what doesn't add to this general malaise these days.
It's the whole Christmas and summer holiday thing at the moment. How do European folk stand the cold at such a happy time of the year; one that should be all about new potatoes and strawberries, the first cherries and the great outdoors ...?
He writes Yes, I had a delightful time in Dunedin, with its odd architecture and steep, hilly streets. I had an even more delightful time in Owaka, staying in the country, and by the time I left Owaka on Saturday afternoon, after exploring most of Central Otago in wonderful company, I drove off down the coastal road, heading west along the south coast of the South Island, with not a cloud in the sky. It felt good to be alive.
after checking out Dunedin on Wikipedia, I'm impressed. All I knew about NZ was Neil Finn, The Flight of the Conchords, and LoTR (all good things mind you). How cool is that, there's a dormant volcano and a gorgeous beach too?
ReplyDeleteHow did you get such exquisitely good taste, furiousball? Neil Finn, okay, and Crowded House? I went to a concert when they were Split Enz.
ReplyDeleteThe dormant volcano, I lived under it in Broad Bay, with my own sea kayak, across the road from the harbour in a magical old fisherman's cottage.
Beaches ... gorgeous?
A million of them. Long Beach was possibly my favourite, as were Pilot's Beach - below the Albatross Colony and St Kilda, the city beach that didn't realise it was a city beach, Brighton Beach for swimming ... 2000kms of coastline on NZ's South Island.
You've made me terribly homesick.
Oh Di, I'd almost kill for new potatoes and strawberries, the first cherries and the great NZ outdoors at Christmas...
ReplyDeleteChristmas in Antwerp, Belgium has (as long as I can remember) been wet (never seen any snow on Christmas day), overcrowded with frantic shoppers and chilly at 5°C/40°F.
Hey, it's always nice to dream :-)
Hey Peter :) I just received permission to host the extended family Christmas lunch here ... so let's see how Kiwi I can make it.
ReplyDeletePavlova's for sure, and roast lamb with gravy ... roast potatoes instead of new ones, but fruit salad and ice cream and whipped cream. Hmmm, mince pieces maybe and a big fruit Christmas cake.
Must get organised ... very happy i am :)
so in NZ, you have summer weather at Christmas? Being from the North East (of the US) I am used to freezing wind, snow, snow piles, plow trucks, and icicles around this time of year... I couldn't imagine Christmas without it. :D
ReplyDeleteHey mlle, Christmas without snow and ice and coldness is kind of like endless summer holidays with cool gifts, lots of food and family and friends ;) but yeah, we make our own associations with what Christmas is ...
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