Living in New Zealand: The Dairy
What Britscall a newsagent and the Americans call a convenience store, New Zealanders called a dairy. It is where you going to get the paper, a loaf of bread, a pint of milk and in New Zealand’s case, ice cream. We used to have a fantastic dairy in London Street, Lyttelton, called the Empire (it was also a pub/hotel and had excellent drinks deals at happy hour, which was a good time to meet up with people.).
Click to see options for using the image
In 2011, like many old buildings in London Street, the Empire Hotel was badly affected by the earthquake. It had to be demolished and it was sad to see it go, though the owners at the time of the massive ice creams had moved on. Now there is empty lot where's the Empire Hotel used to be. It is called Collett’s Corner and they are crowdfunding to try to finance a community building. They need is nearly $10 million dollars, so it will be a hard ask.
The owners in the Empire’s heyday.
One month after the February 2011 earthquake, the poor Empire was being held up by some serious steel scaffolding.
Living in New Zealand: Fire Danger Signs and Warning Wheels
Click to see options for using the image
Fire danger signs are commonly seen around New Zealand, particularly in rural areas.
They have been around for so long they have passed into popular culture and/or and have been adapted for other uses.
Click to buy image on Glenn Jones’ website
We saw this checking in for the Interislander ferry (I did pay attention to this - I get sea sick easily!)
Unfortunately this means that they probably don't have the impact they once had. We were away when the Port Hills fire happened in 2017, but the images we saw (the following are from the Christchurch City Council website) were horrifying. We are having another hot, dry summer and it is worrying to look around the Port Hills and see so much tinder. Though I am sure any response would be managed better this time around.
Living in New Zealand: Feilding - What Can I Say?
Maybe I’m being unfair. We were in Feilding just after New Year and it seemed most of Feilding had left town. Or maybe it is always like that.
Click to see options for using the image
Living in New Zealand: Herbertville, I So Wanted to Like You
When we were looking to break the journey north from Wellington to Gisborne, I wanted to stop somewhere I'd never been before, Ideally somewhere on the coast. I found Herbertville on the map, and wondered why I had never heard of it.
Now I know.
It is old New Zealand there, which is great when you are talking with people at the pub, but not so great when you look around. The Tararua countryside was in stark contrast to Marlborough Sounds where we had stayed before. It is scarred by intensive forestry with conifers and bare, eroded hillsides. The valleys are dotted with cattle standing about and shitting in the lifeless rivers. On the road from Dannevirke to Herbertville, we saw few native trees and fewer native birds.
Click to see options for using the image
Herbertville is boatie heaven as the locals complain of being able to catch nothing but blue cod (something fishermen would love to be able to do near where we live). The campground is well equipped, but battles the prevailing wind. Our tent was buffeted despite having hedge windbreaks on three sides. And the sea looked too vicious to do more than dip your toes in.
Please leave a comment if you have had a better experience of being in Herbertville!
