OUR TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE YEARS DOWN UNDER IN NEW
ZEALAND (KIWILAND)...AND I'M STILL DAMN WELL HERE TEN YEARS LATER!
... and LOVING it even more.
Our Years in Kiwiland
Our life, new beginnings in Kiwiland
A South African's and "exile Kiwi's" light-hearted look at life in laid-back, provincial New Zealand. Eventually life in "Sleepy Hollow" became so quiet that we decided to write a book about it... although there were one or two adventures from time to time.
A new immigrant family's view of rural 'Godzone' and culture shock after arriving from a large city in South Africa to start a new lifestyle ... with a rather drastic change of pace on the other side of the world. Now six years, no. now twenty-five years later, I take it all for granted...
and appreciate it even more.
"Nothing much happens over there. The headline in a major capital city was
'golf-ball thrown at police constable'."
- comments by British entertainer Julian Cleary on a recent visit to "Godzone".
And that's in a "metropolis". Just wait till he gets to "Sleepy Hollow" and sees
the "local rag" in "Sleepy Hollow"!
NOTE:
The abbreviation "SH" is used to denote the city of "Sleepy Hollow". The name is made up, but the place is certainly real. All names in this short book (other than our own ones) have been changed to avoid any embarrassment. The only embarrassment might be the authors' at writing this.
I must say that these accounts were my initial impressions and were written after about three years here. When I wrote this I was very socially isolated in writing my various books. Now another three years later, I have felt very much at home here. Whilst my initial impressions and observations have not changed much (if at all), I have met many wonderful people here who have reached out and made me feel very
welcome.
Thank you to the good, kind people of SH who have opened their hearts to me, even though I'm a "newie" and will probably never be a real "Sleepy Hollowite", my descendants not having arrived on the first ship to hit these "sleepy shores".
DEDICATION:
This manuscript is dedicated to small town dwellers throughout the world. Savour and appreciate the experience out of "the rat race" of large cities - it is certainly something precious. I would like to thank my dear wife Gill for giving me the opportunity and financial support to indulge in the creative endeavour of writing. You had faith in me all along - far more than I ever did. And thanks for writing a substantial part of this manuscript. You came up with the title and it was your idea
to write this work. You're certainly a very talented person!
Thanks to my beloved boys, Gareth and Sean who bring me so much happiness. Seeing you grow and develop and loving you makes the journey that is life so interesting.
Especially thanks to "Sleepy Hollow" (where nothing much happens)* for giving me the peace of mind and tranquillity to think clearly and write. New Zealand is a wonderful beautiful country to inspire writers.
* Not true some years later. Two sensational murders in two weeks. If this can happen in SH, what is the world coming to!
Also to my close friends scattered throughout the world who always said I should write a book: this is what we have been up to in recent years... so DON'T expect a letter.
I thank God, my Creator for the spark inside me which inspired me to write, and I truly believe we all have a gift, a touch of genius that lies in the human spirit, which is the spark within all of us, just waiting to be lit.*
* In some of my later and more serious works, I have developed this theme.
‘Dropped Out” is an original and agreeable piece of work. The picture
it gives of New Zealand- to one who has never been there- has a ring of complete
authenticity. The feeling of the country is relaxed, and perhaps rather unstimulating,
but we get an overall impression from the writer that he views his time there with
some affection,
ZEALAND (KIWILAND)...AND I'M STILL DAMN WELL HERE TEN YEARS LATER!
... and LOVING it even more.
Our Years in Kiwiland
Our life, new beginnings in Kiwiland
A South African's and "exile Kiwi's" light-hearted look at life in laid-back, provincial New Zealand. Eventually life in "Sleepy Hollow" became so quiet that we decided to write a book about it... although there were one or two adventures from time to time.
A new immigrant family's view of rural 'Godzone' and culture shock after arriving from a large city in South Africa to start a new lifestyle ... with a rather drastic change of pace on the other side of the world. Now six years, no. now twenty-five years later, I take it all for granted...
and appreciate it even more.
"Nothing much happens over there. The headline in a major capital city was
'golf-ball thrown at police constable'."
- comments by British entertainer Julian Cleary on a recent visit to "Godzone".
And that's in a "metropolis". Just wait till he gets to "Sleepy Hollow" and sees
the "local rag" in "Sleepy Hollow"!
NOTE:
The abbreviation "SH" is used to denote the city of "Sleepy Hollow". The name is made up, but the place is certainly real. All names in this short book (other than our own ones) have been changed to avoid any embarrassment. The only embarrassment might be the authors' at writing this.
I must say that these accounts were my initial impressions and were written after about three years here. When I wrote this I was very socially isolated in writing my various books. Now another three years later, I have felt very much at home here. Whilst my initial impressions and observations have not changed much (if at all), I have met many wonderful people here who have reached out and made me feel very
welcome.
Thank you to the good, kind people of SH who have opened their hearts to me, even though I'm a "newie" and will probably never be a real "Sleepy Hollowite", my descendants not having arrived on the first ship to hit these "sleepy shores".
DEDICATION:
This manuscript is dedicated to small town dwellers throughout the world. Savour and appreciate the experience out of "the rat race" of large cities - it is certainly something precious. I would like to thank my dear wife Gill for giving me the opportunity and financial support to indulge in the creative endeavour of writing. You had faith in me all along - far more than I ever did. And thanks for writing a substantial part of this manuscript. You came up with the title and it was your idea
to write this work. You're certainly a very talented person!
Thanks to my beloved boys, Gareth and Sean who bring me so much happiness. Seeing you grow and develop and loving you makes the journey that is life so interesting.
Especially thanks to "Sleepy Hollow" (where nothing much happens)* for giving me the peace of mind and tranquillity to think clearly and write. New Zealand is a wonderful beautiful country to inspire writers.
* Not true some years later. Two sensational murders in two weeks. If this can happen in SH, what is the world coming to!
Also to my close friends scattered throughout the world who always said I should write a book: this is what we have been up to in recent years... so DON'T expect a letter.
I thank God, my Creator for the spark inside me which inspired me to write, and I truly believe we all have a gift, a touch of genius that lies in the human spirit, which is the spark within all of us, just waiting to be lit.*
* In some of my later and more serious works, I have developed this theme.
‘Dropped Out” is an original and agreeable piece of work. The picture
it gives of New Zealand- to one who has never been there- has a ring of complete
authenticity. The feeling of the country is relaxed, and perhaps rather unstimulating,
but we get an overall impression from the writer that he views his time there with
some affection,
