More NZ

I keep thinking New Zealand is sort of England without the bad bits. Only sometimes you could do with some of the bad bits. Like trains and such like. You tend to assume that you can get from one big black dot on a map to another. I suppose in theory you can – but it might involve a bus that only runs on Wed afternoon in high season (oh, and you weren’t thinking of coming back again, were you? What, in the same year?!).
Am planning my visit to south island, not as easy as it seemed – but will be worth it.
Meeting ex-pats here, there seem to be two camps 1. never had a day's regret and pity us back in UK 2. Those to whom words like 'water' and 'back' keep creeping to mind. I met a commercial contracts lawyer here who had worked in London, but moved to be with his partner. I wasn't sure whether he was being ironic when he said he missed Britain. I told him that when Dr Johnson had said 'He who is tired of London, is tired of life', he hadn't had to commute. The answer came, 'Dr Johnson may not have had to commute, but no one ever said that about New Zealand'.

Actually, I intend to be the first.

Waikato

It's great here. Love the University. Hamilton has its charms. Went on a river cruise, plus wondered round Hamilton Gardens and the museum. Latter was very informative on the history, but felt pretty ashamed at what the Brits did in taking land from the Maoris. They seem such an artistic race. Have been hearing some music and seeing the art. Hoping may meet a Maori playwright (Alber Bensz - he has some Dutch ancestry apparently) later.

The mystery of the missing blogs

Just busy, busy. Finished my play-writing class, which I thoroughly enjoyed, with my students to present script in hand performances of their work tomorrow night at York Uni.
'About Chocolate' is now registered for Edinburgh Fringe (presented by Sweet Dreams Productions, week 2, 16-21st Aug, 4-5pm, Theatre 3, Royal Surgeons Hall, The Space @ Surgeons Hall, off Nicholson Street,boxoffice.surgeons@thespaceuk.com tel 08455088515). I've been working intensely with talented actress, Irene Lofthouse, and Ray Brown, theatre pratitioner and broadcaster, who will direct it. Had to take some serious but constructive crit, and cut/change a lot. It hangs together much better for it now.
My visit to Waikato, New Zealand is fast approaching, so lots of prep. Sadly my mother-in-law died recently, so there have been family matters to concentrate on.
Last night we put the clocks forward and today it feels like spring at last!

Antipodean Dreams

An opportunity has come up through work to apply for funding to go on a brief trip to New Zealand, so I'm having a go and asking everyone to keep fingers crossed for me.
It's several years since I went there and made my pilgrimage to Katherine Mansfield's house in Wellington. It's even longer since I fell in love with her short stories and wrote my dissertation on her.
Sometimes I wonder if that's why I'm not so keen on writing short stories - I could never reach that level. She seemed to know not to try cram in too much (though in her own short life, she crammed in a great deal and lived most of it to the full).