Living in New Zealand: The Secondhand Bookshop is Lethal
Looking around the bookshop in Lyttelton is dangerous when my bookshelves are already stuffed with books unread. I used to read massively as a kid until I went to university and got out of the habit. I really should make more time for it now.
Any advice on how to do that would be gratefully received!
Living in New Zealand: Emergency Services are Largely Voluntary
In 1870 fire destroyed Lyttleton's main street. It started in the Queen’s Hotel (which later became London Street restaurant, which had to be demolished after the earthquake, as happened to many of the historic timber buildings that had been rebuilt in brick to resist fire). Residents had to demolish buildings to stop the fire spreading as there was no firefighting service in the isolated town. There is now, and a siren sounds to call the volunteers when they are needed. I really don't like that sound.
Living in New Zealand: Super, Lyttelton
Near the head of Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupo, lies the small settlement of Governors Bay. We use to walk our dogs down by the shoreline and I loved walking to the end of the ridiculously long jetty. But that was a long time ago and the jetty has seen better days. It was falling into disrepair even before the earthquake of 2011, but that finished it off.