All good things come to an end

We couldn't quite believe it when we got to our final week and realised that we really were going to have to leave New Zealand - our jobs were over, we'd started trying to pack and somehow a whole year had gone by at lightening speed and we were going to have to say goodbye...

Now I might have spent some of my time in NZ pointing out the slight differences between Kiwi and English culture, food, speech and weather, but never let it be thought that I didn't grow to love NZ, particularly the people and friends that we made there. After a lovely farewell meal at our favourite Mexican restaurant, and some very yummy Feijoa Daiquiris....

 

 

 

 

 

We spent our last weekend at the famous Matakana markets (cute, but not quite Borough!) and at the loveliest beach that I only wish we'd discovered earlier - Tawharanui!!

The sun came out, the beers arrived, the surfboards were out and all our favourites were there. It was a perfect day, (only slightly marred by the rant I later had about the ridiculousness of a restaurant refusing to serve tap water!) followed by a tear jerking final meeting on the Sunday and a lovely final BBQ at Shelly Beach, complete with tears, water being thrown over people to cool them down, amazement at managing to actually get 130 kilos of luggage on the plane between us, and a 20 strong group of people at the airport to see us off!

 

 

Now MZ might have got the biggest souvenir to take home with her (Colin, not the ring!) but I thought I'd try to express what I had learnt during my year away...

1.  Regardless of what people will have you believe, the only time walking around in bare feet is acceptable is on the beach, or in a field - never in a supermarket, an off licence, or generally just down the main high street. At those times it really is just dirty and unhygienic, and should not be encouraged...
2.  Flat whites really are the best coffees, and NZ has some of the best independent cafes ever. Agnes Curran, Il Forno, the Coffee Guy, Ripe, pretty much every place on Jervois Rd... it was these places that got me through 7am ministry starts, and made me finally understand why Kiwis are coffee snobs. I forgive you for it - I have become one since returning to London and thank NZ for my education. A special shout out though should also go to the hundreds of coffees made in Shelly Beach, mostly by Jess or Jess, but always appreciated...
3.  Whilst I'm still not an absolute convert to 'Fush and Chups' I love the fact that you can still buy them wrapped in newspaper, even if they do normally take at least 30 minutes to get (not exactly fast food), however you do really need to discover the joys of Malt Vinegar! But I am in love with Kumura Chips and Aoili - they really should introduce that here....

4.  Sometimes walking can be a pleasurable activity... and not just a means of getting from A to B! With such amazing scenery on offer, I can understand the desire to explore it on foot, although I still maintain there is nothing wrong with creating a path that is wide enough for a wheel chair to make it easier for everyone! Somehow though, I now find myself strangely drawn to outdoor adventure stores and actually found myself considering the cost of hiking shoes...

5.  If there is a body of water, a kiwi will generally want to jump into it, regardless of warnings, risk signs, the temperature and the overall danger level... and yet sometimes it is worth it! The water will probably be freezing, but it will be fresh and clean and the hilarity is worth it..

 

 

6. True friends are the ones that you realise you are in no way ashamed or embarrased by when they wear ridiculous costumes in public

Nat - shortly before she got arrested for dressing up as a toothpaste without a licence!

 

 

7. Whilst the constant mispronounciation of vowel sounds (at least in my opinion) can at times be irritating / amusing, there is actually something very endearing about being called 'a igg' (translation - an egg). However, for the record its 'yes' not 'yiss'...

8. A place can become 'home' if the people make it one... so thanks to Auckland and New Zealand and all the people we met along the way for making that a reality and giving us the most amazing year!