Webby
Wed 23 Apr 2008
I am waiting for my taxi now to take me to the airport and spending my last few hours at Ardmore Road in quiet reflection.
I have had a lot of fun here and have met some quality people. Sadly a lot of those people have moved on as I am about to do but I do find NZ to be quite a transient place, particularly Auckland.
Perhaps it is because 99% of my friends here are expats too. I regret a little that I did not have more Kiwi friends here but when you work on your own you do restrict opportunities to meet locals.
So after a weekend in Sydney I am off to California for three weeks before deciding whether to head back to the UK or perhaps travel down through Mexico.
The NZ working holiday visa I was on represented the best opportunity of staying long term in NZ but my heart was never in it in the end. NZ is just too distant and too quiet for me.
But it is still a wonderful place to visit and I have no regrets about having spent a fair chunk of my recent history in this little corner of the South Pacific.
Farewell and thanks for having me.
April 24th, 2008 at 4:45 am
I think Kiwis are perhaps some of the most traveled people in the world. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures in the US.
April 24th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Yea I reckon you’re probably right…
April 24th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
If only I could somehow tow those lambchop islands to Europe I would live there in a heartbeat. It is the most beautiful place I have seen so far. But I’m with you - it’s too distant, too quiet and forever 1983 outside of Auckland.
April 25th, 2008 at 1:20 am
Imposter, you are spot on as usual. I would add that Auckland is probably languishing in the 90s somewhere.
I am now in Sydney for the weekend and despite the fact it is a holiday (ANZAC Day), and that most of the shops are closed, the place is still buzzing and full of life.
I also think the immigrants from Southern Europe adds a lot in terms of energy to Australia (not to mention sublime coffee and food).
I often say that if Ireland was NZ I would live there without a second thought.
Having said that I have never been to Ireland so maybe I should check that out!