Kia Ora – Welcome to New Zealand

Our taxi ride to the station was a little hair-raising as we were not certain our cases would make it, as the taxi boot wasn’t large enough and they were balanced rather precariously – and we were driven up the ridiculously steep streets. .

Our Air New Zealand flight Sunday night (10^th Feb) was much more enjoyable – other than not sleeping enough. The layout of the plane was a much better design; the seats were more comfortable; the staff were extremely helpful – but they didn’t have the Mission Impossible film!

Alistair Woodward met us at Auckland airport and took us to the Te Ara Mua – Future Streets project intervention area in Mangere, to see how they have changed the infrastructure of local streets to facilitate walking and cycling.

We spent the rest of the day with Mo (now Dr Chaudhury – yay!) and we also met Mo’s PhD student Tamara Bozovic, a keen cyclist, before flying south to what Mo referred to as North Antarctica.

Dunedin is the first airport we have been to that smells of cows. Our luggage all arrived (as did we), and Sandy Mandic was there to collect us and take us to their home.

The next day, her husband Philip chauffeured us to see potential accommodation. Apart from being about a 45minute walk up and down hills to commute to the university, the only cooking facility was a microwave, and there wasn’t even a sink or a table. Unfortunately, excluding student digs and year-long rentals, every other place being advertised either had no furniture at all or no availability for our dates. I suggested hiring a motorhome instead of renting a flat plus a car when we go on our holiday trips. David thought I was joking!

Sandy and Philip’s house is a few minutes from green and blue space, with fabulous views over the harbour, ocean, hills and nearby villages. The roads are pretty empty, too, so their children are free-range, walking and cycling themselves to school and around the neighbourhood.